The National Hockey League's free agent frenzy officially began on July 1, and Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman snagged a veteran forward with a nose for the net.

James van Riemsdyk sees a great fit for him with Detroit Red Wings — and finally being NHL teammates with fellow '07 draftee Patrick Kane.

"Blash may have mentioned that to me at world (championships) one year, it's a nice compliment to get from him," van Riemsdyk said. "Your odds are very good around the net if you want to score goals and be productive. That's a big part of my game. Just the nuance, timing and things like that. I just want to be anchored around the net."