Infamous Maple Leafs goalie back on waivers weeks after signing new deal

Only a few weeks after signing an NHL deal, James Reimer has found himself on waivers as the former Maple Leafs goalie's career hangs in the balance.

With the New York Rangers needing goaltending help with Igor Shesterkin out for the season, they decided to take a chance on NHL veteran and long-time journeyman James Reimer to help sort things out.

Rangers waive Reimer only weeks after signing him for goalie depth

After a short stint in the AHL he was brought in against the Los Angeles Kings, letting three goals on eight shots before leaving the game with an injury. His time in that game was short lived and so is his time with the team:

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Reimer did do well when he was in the AHL for New York, posting a shutout in his first game, but unfortunately couldn't translate that to the NHL and got hurt in thr process.

It may be the end of the line for Reimer as the 38-year0old will likely clear waivers and find himself in the AHL as some extra depth. At one point he was seen as one of the best backups in the league, and came in last year to help settle the Senators' crease but hasn't been a starter since 2022.

Reimer's career hangs in the balance after being waived

With Joonas Korpisalo on the mend and coming back shortly, and Dylan Garand already putting in a great season thus far, the need for an injured Reimer as insurance isn't going to be the answer right now though he could get a look in the future.

Teams who do wish to claim Reimer have 24 hours to do so, and there are potentially teams like Buffalo or Edmonton who could use a little more stability in their net which Reimer could provide.

But he isn't the same level of player he was in the past and as we've seen with goaltenders as they age, sometimes it's like a fine wine and sometimes it's like bread - you never know when your time is officially up.

While there's a chance that Reimer can find a spot on an NHL team again, this may have been his last chance before riding off into the sunset.

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