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Van Riemsdyk Had Early Teacher For Playing On Off Side
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- Van Riemsdyk Had Early Teacher For Playing On Off Side
Van Riemsdyk Had Early Teacher For Playing On Off Side
It turns out veteran first-year Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk had a chance to study for his projected role with his new team years ago.
It's looking like there's a strong possibility that van Riemsdyk , a right-handed shot, will play on the left side. That's where he was on the first day of training camp Thursday at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex – on his off side with long-time Penguins core player Kris Letang in his customary spot on the right.
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When the Penguins signed the 35-year-old to a two-year, $8 million deal over the summer, the idea that he could play on the left side was hit on pretty extensively. It came up because with the team's offseason changes, there is an imbalance on defense with a glut of righties compared to lefties.
Van Riemsdyk on Thursday said he did a good deal of penalty killing on the left side during his six seasons with the Washington Capitals , but even before that he had a chance as a young player with the Chicago Blackhawks to learn from an elite opposite-side defenseman up close.
"I was lucky enough early in my career I got to watch Niklas Hjalmarsson for the first three years of my career," van Riemsdyk said. "He was one of the best at it. So I always watched him. You never know when you have to play on both sides."
Hjalmarsson, as opposed to van Riemsdyk, was a lefty who excelled at playing on the right, but the principles still apply.
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"I feel comfortable on both sides," van Riemsdyk said. "Some things are a little different and require maybe different positioning, different spots and looks, things like that as opposed to playing your off vs. on side. … If I'm on that left side, I'm looking forward to the challenge."
Playing with Letang, if that pairing holds, presents its own set of challenges — in a good way.
"He's a world-class player, can make any play, any pass," van Riemsdyk said. "You've always got to have your stick on the ice. Get him the puck, and he'll do a lot. He'll break the puck out. He does that at an elite level. Contributes to the offense. I think he's got an awesome stick, too. Shuts down plays before they happen.
"The great thing about here is they let you know exactly what's expected of you, so you'll know when you go out there you're not going to be wondering whether they just want you to do this or that. I think they want you to do the things that make you a successful player. I've done it for a long time, and I know what I need to do to help contribute to the team and help the team win. Just because I'm playing with 'Tanger' I don't need to change my game necessarily. I've just got to try to do the things that they brought me in to do to help contribute to this winning culture – and obviously get the puck to Tanger whenever I get the chance."
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Van Riemsdyk might have a style that meshes with the offensively gifted Letang. He's not flashy, and he's defense-first, as illustrated by his 28 goals, 161 points in 751 games.
After not being drafted, van Riemsdyk has forged a long career. The Penguins are his fourth NHL team, but at his age and after spending the past six seasons with Washington, starting over with a new team feels a little different.
"It's always a bit unique," he said. "You get comfortable anytime you've been somewhere for a little while. I was in Washington for six years. So obviously this was something new. I got here a couple weeks ago and (am) getting settled in and acclimated. The guys are all great. The coaches made me feel welcome, brought me right up to speed. It wasn't too bad."
Van Riemsdyk won't have to wait long to dive back into what has been a longtime rivalry. Sidney Crosby and the Penguins face Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals on the road Oct. 7.
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"We had some good battles," van Riemsdyk said. "There's that Ovi and Sid dynamic, and playing each other a bunch of times each year, it's obviously a healthy rivalry. It will fun to see it from this perspective."
And perhaps the perspective of the left side on defense.
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