Former Leafs Goalie Named as Surprise Insurance Option for Stolarz-Woll Duo
Photo credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
James Reimer is a free agent still, though he is certainly good enough to warrant a signing, and according to one analyst; the Maple Leafs should bring him back.
There's been a lot of talk this summer about the Toronto Maple Leafs bringing in a potential top-six forward or a more offensively-focused blueliner as the final piece of the puzzle heading into the 2025-26 season.
They've added quite the depth up and down the lineup, and it's always better to be safe than sorry. Though, if you had to look at their goaltending; as good as it is there are some faults.
Joseph Woll and Anthony Stolarz are great, but also injury prone and the team no longer has the luxury of bringing up veteran Matt Murray to help them out given he signed a deal with Seattle earlier this summer.
Leafs' Goalie Depth Still Comes With Risk
Sure, there's Dennis Hildeby and Artur Akhtyamov, but they are extremely young and in the case of the former isn't ready just yet for the NHL spotlight. So, maybe they need to go back in time to an old familiar face says one analyst.
According to The Leafs Nation's Jeremy Tingly, the team should try and look to James Reimer to give them a veteran boost in case of emergency.
He writes:
The Maple Leafs used four goalies last regular season, including Matt Murray, who Reimer could essentially replace the role of.
At 37 years old, and coming off an average season, Reimer has yet to sign a contract this summer, and could be destined to finish off his career on either a league minimum contract, or one that would be even better for Treliving and the Leafs, a two-way deal.
Reimer could give the Leafs a veteran security blanket, and a mentor for their young netminders with the Marlies, and with Stolarz and Woll having troubles staying healthy throughout their careers, Reimer would very likely get into a handful of NHL games next season.
At 37 years old, and coming off an average season, Reimer has yet to sign a contract this summer, and could be destined to finish off his career on either a league minimum contract, or one that would be even better for Treliving and the Leafs, a two-way deal.
Reimer could give the Leafs a veteran security blanket, and a mentor for their young netminders with the Marlies, and with Stolarz and Woll having troubles staying healthy throughout their careers, Reimer would very likely get into a handful of NHL games next season.
Reimer Could Offer Valuable Stability if Needed
It does seem a bit crazy to bring in Reimer, especially at his age but he's proven he can be a reliable backstop when push comes to shove. Last season with both Buffalo and Anaheim he put up a 10-10-2 record with a 3.04 GAA and .896 SV%.
Plus, bringing Reimer in must also have another consequence: Bringing in that potential top-six forward.
Toronto can dangle either Hildeby or Akhtyamov in a package to bring someone aboard and know they have a solid and respectable replacement in case their #1 or #2 goalies go down.
He's also extremely familiar with the community, and had a footprint firmly planted in the city before departing.
There is nothing wrong with calling upon Reimer even if it seems a bit outside of the box. Toronto needs to get creative to bring people in, and if they have a surplus of young goalies; replace one with Reimer and get the right piece in.
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 30 | 1071 ANSWERS Former Leafs Goalie Named as Surprise Insurance Option for Stolarz-Woll Duo Should the Maple Leafs sign James Reimer as backup? | ||
| Yes | 508 | 47.4 % |
| No | 563 | 52.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
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