Recent Update on Joseph Woll Puts Maple Leafs on Alert as James Reimer Steps In
Photo credit: Hockey Patrol
With no update yet as to when Joseph Woll is going to return, it'll be up to James Reimer to help out Anthony Stolarz as his role is becoming crystal clear.
When news broke of Joseph Woll's indefinite leave of absence from the Maple Leafs, it threw everything we knew into a frenzy as suddenly the team was without one of their strongest assets and with no idea when he's to return; things got hairy.
Which necessitated the signing of veteran netminder and former Maple Leafs draft pick James Reimer to a PTO, signifying they were certainly not going to just let Dennis Hildeby be the only help for Stolarz.
Brad Treliving Confirms the Maple Leafs' Goalie Situation
But in signing him some were worried that it wasn't a great deal however it's only a PTO and the team doesn't need to commit though they probably should.
GM Brad Treliving was confident in Reimer's ability to help the team and explained to reporters that his role is going to be very simple: Stop the potential bleeding before it even begins:
We know what James is. We're going to take the next couple of days to let him get his feet under him. You can never have too much depth at the position. With Joe's situation, wanted to make sure we've got options.
It's true that you can never have too much depth and with Toronto having some great goaltenders though clearly raw and unproven so far, they really needed a veteran hand.
Why James Reimer's Role Could Grow Quickly in Toronto
With concerns about Stolarz's injury history as well, Reimer isn't just going to be a guy who takes one or two starts here and there. You can very well expect him to get a fair share of action even if Stolarz is the clear starter.
Look for a potential 2-3 games on, one off for Stolarz and with the amount of back-to-back games the team has this season; Reimer's acquisition is even more important.
Last season, the journeyman goaltender had a 10-10-2 record with the Anaheim Ducks, to go along with a 3.04 GAA and .896 SV%.
His career numbers are a bit better, with a 225-187-65 record with a 2.89 GAA and .910 SV%. He has spent time with seven teams in his career (Toronto, San Jose, Florida, Carolina, Detroit, Buffalo, and Anaheim).
Those are exactly the type of numbers you need from a backup and no is expecting Reimer to be the same player he was back in 2012-13; he's 37 and is still chugging along.
But it's good enough for Toronto while they deal with their Joseph Woll situation, and much like we saw with Matt Murray previously, it could pay off in a huge way.
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