James Reimer may already be set to jump right into the Rangers’ net.
Dan Rosen of NHL.com was at New York’s practice and saw the newly signed goaltender as the first one off the ice, a possible sign that he’ll make his season debut - and his debut for the Rangers - against the Kings. The team has not made an official call on its starter yet.
Reimer’s arrival came quickly. He signed a one-year, $850K deal after being released from his professional tryout contract with the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack on Sunday morning.
The 38-year-old then played Friday in his first game with Hartford and turned aside 35 shots in a shutout win over the Providence Bruins. By two days later, he was set to enter his 17th NHL season.
The Rangers are Reimer’s ninth NHL team, tying the league record for the most teams played for by a goaltender, alongside Cam Talbot. New York is also looking to ease the burden on 24-year-old Dylan Garand, who has been carrying a heavy load since Igor Shesterkin’s season-ending injury. The rookie has gone 4-4-1 with a .900 Sv% in nine appearances this season.
At Capitals practice, Jack St. Ivany was on the ice after being claimed off waivers from Winnipeg.
St. Ivany has appeared in four games this season and is averaging a career-low 13:31 per game.
In 57 career NHL appearances across parts of four seasons, with the rest of that time coming in Pittsburgh, the 27-year-old has nine assists, 68 blocks and 122 hits in 15:30 of ice time per night.
Washington also had defenseman Jakob Chychrun leave practice. The reason wasn’t known, and Chychrun later returned in regular clothes to watch the rest.
In Carolina, Alexander Nikishin remains away from the NHL roster for now, according to Walt Ruff. Nikishin signed a one-year, $3MM deal to stay with the Hurricanes after requesting a trade over the summer, but he has not yet joined the club in practice.
Last season, the 24-year-old defenseman put up 11 goals and 33 points in his rookie NHL campaign, logging a little more than 18 minutes a night while helping the team win the Stanley Cup. With so much time missed during his holdout, a conditioning stint with AHL Chicago could be the safest route before he’s thrown into NHL action.
Taylor Hall was back on the ice with Carolina on Monday in a regular practice after missing time on the road trip because of an upper-body injury that sent him to injured reserve. He skated with Jordan Martinook and Seth Jarvis, who has two goals and three points in three games. Boston is set to visit the Lenovo Center tomorrow to play the Hurricanes.
In Other News...
Hurricanes Just Missed On A Goalie Move Fans Will Feel
The goalie market had a familiar feel around Carolina, where the Hurricanes were looking for a way to strengthen the net and make another push in the East. Connor Hellebuyck was in their sights, and the interest made sense for a team that has spent plenty of time chasing the kind of stability he brings in goal.
In the end, though, the Hurricanes came up short. New Jersey was able to get the deal done after the talks picked up late, leaving Carolina to keep searching for its answer in net while another contender landed the player it wanted most. [Read more 🡒]
Hurricanes Came Closer Than Fans Realized On Connor Hellebuyck
According to Elliotte Friedman, Carolina was one of several teams that seriously poked around on Connor Hellebuyck in trade talks, a group that also included Florida, Buffalo and Utah. The Hurricanes have spent years looking for ways to strengthen the most important position on the ice, so even the hint that they were in the conversation says plenty about how aggressive they were willing to be if the right opportunity surfaced.
The talks, though, never made it to the finish line for a variety of reasons across the different suitors, from package disagreements to timing and contract complications. In Carolinas case, the roadblock appears to have been tied to the kind of forward help Winnipeg wanted back, which is a reminder that landing an elite goaltender is rarely just about interest. It is about finding the exact combination of players and assets a deal needs before the other side moves on. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Fans Finally Got Their First Look At A Stunning New Era
The Hurricanes got a small but notable update at practice as Taylor Hall was back on the ice after missing the road trip with a lower-body injury. For a team that has already had to manage its share of lineup shuffling, getting a veteran forward back into the mix matters, especially with the schedule still demanding healthy bodies and steady contributions from throughout the roster.
There was still one notable absence in the group, though, with newly signed defenseman Alexander Nikishin not yet back with the team after putting pen to paper on his one-year contract. For Carolina, that leaves a little more waiting before it can see how the next piece fits into the blue-line picture, and it is the kind of detail that can shape the early rhythm of practice even before the games do. [Read more 🡒]