3 Bruins on the Nice List (& 2 on the Naughty List) This Christmas

Nice List #2: James Van Riemsdyk

Expectations weren't all that high when the Bruins inked James Van Riemsdyk to a one-year, $1 million contract this offseason.

While the veteran forward is a seven-time 20-goalscorer, he was coming off the worst season of his career that saw him record 12 goals and 29 points across 61 games with the Philadelphia Flyers.

Fortunately, joining the Bruins has helped the former 2007 second-overall pick turn back the clock. Van Riemsdyk is up to six goals, 15 assists, and 21 points through 29 games — nearly reaching last year's totals in 32 fewer games. If JVR doesn't slow down or miss a game, the 59 points he's on pace for will be his most since 2016-17 (62) and the third-highest total of his career.

Throw in the fact that he contributes to the power play and also has two-game winning goals, it's clear that Van Riemsdyk is one of the offseason's biggest steals. He more than deserves to be on the Nice List.