3 Studs (& 2 Duds) From the First Week of the Bruins' Season

Stud: James Van Riemsdyk

It's safe to say that expectations were low when the Bruins inked James Van Riemsdyk to a one-year, $1 million deal over the offseason. The veteran forward is 34 and in his 15th NHL season, so most fans were hoping that he could contribute on the bottom two lines.

Instead, Van Riemsdyk has looked right at home playing big-line minutes as Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha's left winger. Although the Middletown, NJ native was relatively quiet in Game 1, he rebounded with a pair of power-play goals in Saturday's 3-2 victory over the Predators.

JVR might not be in his prime, but it's clear that he's deserving of every opportunity he's seen. He won't wow you with speedy or flashy moves, but he's still a strong presence around the net who can score down low on the man advantage.

If Van Riemsdyk can find a way to muster 20-25 goals and 45-50 points, I'll consider him a season-long stud — especially at only one million bucks!