The Rangers have put James Reimer back on waivers, this time with the goal of terminating his contract, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
That move comes after Reimer already cleared regular waivers yesterday and was assigned to AHL Hartford when Joonas Korpisalo was activated off injured reserve. Reimer’s path back to the NHL had opened earlier this season when Igor Shesterkin suffered an early season-ending injury, prompting New York to bring him in on an AHL PTO deal. The idea was simple: get him back in game shape and see whether he could serve as a stopgap option.
He did enough in Hartford to earn a rest-of-season deal at the prorated league minimum salary of $850K, thanks to a 35-save shutout in his lone appearance for the Wolf Pack. But his time with the Rangers never really got going.
The 38-year-old got one start, on October 26th against Los Angeles, and that outing went sideways fast. He allowed three goals on eight shots in a period before being pulled.
Since then, Dylan Garand has handled the net, and with Korpisalo back in the mix, there was no real roster need for Reimer. He could have reported to Hartford and stayed ready in case another injury hit, but instead he appears to be choosing the cleaner exit.
Because he cleared waivers just two days ago, it would be a surprise if he’s claimed before Sunday’s 1 PM CT deadline. If he passes through again, the Rangers will free up a contract slot and drop to 48 of 50.
Unless another injury situation creates a new opening somewhere else, this may be the end of Reimer’s NHL run. A 2006 fourth-round pick by Toronto, he has played parts of 17 NHL seasons for nine organizations, piling up 540 career appearances with a 2.88 GAA, a .909 SV%, and 32 shutouts. If this is it, he’s had a long and respectable career.
In Other News...
Rangers Goaltending Crisis Has One Costly Fix Fans Will Debate
With Igor Shesterkin and Joonas Korpisalo both sidelined, the Rangers have been forced to lean on Dylan Garand for multiple starts and ride out a stretch that has only sharpened the concern around the crease. It is the kind of situation that can expose a team quickly, especially when the margin for error in the standings is already thin and every night can tilt the conversation from patience to urgency.
That urgency is why the idea of chasing a stabilizing answer keeps surfacing, even if the price would be steep. Nashville has the kind of goaltending depth that makes a move conceivable, but the Predators do not have much reason to part with a proven starter unless the return is strong enough to make them think twice, which leaves the Rangers facing a familiar dilemma: stand pat and wait for health, or pay up for certainty now. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Suddenly Have Real Road Momentum After Another Strong Night
The Rangers have finally started to turn a long road trip into something more encouraging, stringing together three straight wins and collecting their first victory away from home on the four-game swing. It has been the kind of stretch that can change the feel of a season, especially when different parts of the lineup are contributing and several players are extending point streaks along the way.
Adam Fox has been at the center of it, continuing to drive the offense from the blue line while the team has found a steadier rhythm in front of him. There was also a notable milestone in goal, with Joonas Korpisalo making his season debut and giving the Rangers a fresh look between the pipes as they try to keep this momentum rolling through the rest of the trip. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Fans Should Notice Who Is Driving Hartford Right Now
The first month in Hartford offered a useful snapshot of where the Rangers top affiliate stands as its 30th consecutive season at PeoplesBank Arena gets rolling. The Wolf Pack finished October at 5-6-1-0, and the clubs own monthly spotlight pointed to a few names worth tracking, with forward Liam Greentree, goaltender Callum Tung and forward Glenn Gawdin standing out in the early going.
Greentree gave the Wolf Pack some needed offense, while Tung helped steady the net with a strong opening stretch that included his first AHL shutout. Coach Jay Leach singled out both players for the way they handled the start of the season, and for Rangers fans, that kind of early traction in Hartford is always worth watching closely because it can hint at who might be pushing for a bigger role down the line. [Read more 🡒]