James van Riemsdyk, one of the top prizes of this year's NHL free agent class, is heading back to Philadelphia. 

The 29-year-old van Riemsdyk is expected to sign a deal with the Flyers when the NHL's free agency period opens on Sunday, according to TSN's Frank Seravalli. The deal will reunite JVR with the team that drafted him second overall in 2007. 

The deal will be for five years and $35 million, bringing a cap hit and average annual value of $7 million. That's a significant bump from the AAV on van Riemdyk's previous deal, signed with Philly in 2011, which carried an AAV of $4.25 million.

Van Riemsdyk spent his first three NHL seasons in Philadelphia, but was traded to the Maple Leafs in exchange for Luke Schenn in 2012. The winger spent the last six seasons in Toronto, playing an integral role in their offensive attack. He posted a career-high 36 goals for the Leafs last season. 

He'll join a Flyers team that seems to be on the upswing, having qualified for the playoffs last season before getting bounced in the first round by the Penguins, but is looking to get over the postseason hump. Philadelphia hasn't won a playoff series since 2012.