The Senators have a crease puzzle on their hands, and James Reimer sits right in the middle of it.
Ottawa’s recent move to acquire Samuel Ersson seemed to point toward a clear setup behind Linus Ullmark, with Ersson lined up as the backup for next season. But the club then chose not to qualify Ersson, which pushed him into unrestricted free agency and also removed the option of him signing with the Senators.
That leaves Reimer as the lingering question. He’s a UFA this summer too, and the 37-year-old could still be in the mix for one more season.
More importantly, he already showed why Ottawa would want him back. Reimer basically stabilized the position for the Senators this past year, giving them dependable goaltending at a time when they didn’t really have an NHL netminder able to seize the job consistently.
That’s the case for bringing him back, and it’s not hard to see the appeal. Reimer shouldn’t cost much, and Ottawa could potentially work out an incentive-laden deal to keep him around.
The catch is how the roster math plays out.
If the Senators were to sign both Ersson and Reimer to NHL contracts, one of them would likely need to clear waivers unless the team planned to keep three goalies all season. That doesn’t sound like the likeliest route, which is why a two-way contract for Reimer makes the most sense.
A two-way deal gives the club flexibility to move a player between the NHL and AHL, with the salary changing depending on where he’s playing. In practical terms, it gives Ottawa room to adjust if the situation changes.
And with goaltending, it often does. There’s always the chance that one of Ersson or Reimer doesn’t work out next season. Even if both look strong, injuries can change everything in a hurry, something Senators fans saw up close this past season.
That’s why carrying a third capable goalie isn’t really a luxury anymore.
For now, Ottawa’s next step comes with free agency opening on Wednesday. The big question is whether Ersson actually signs with the Senators. If he doesn’t, GM Steve Staios will have to look elsewhere and sort out the crease another way.
In Other News...
Former Senators Goalie Prospect Is Getting Another NHL Chance
The Lightning kept building out their organizational depth in goal, signing Mads Sogaard, Olivier Rodrigue and defenseman Michael Callahan to one-year, two-way contracts. For Senators fans, Sogaard is the name that jumps out, since the big goaltender was once part of Ottawas pipeline and had become one of the more recognizable young netminders in the system before moving on to his next opportunity.
Sogaards path has been uneven enough to make this a noteworthy fresh start, with his most recent work split between Ottawa and Belleville. Tampa Bay is giving him another chance to push back toward the NHL picture, and the one-year, two-way setup suggests the Lightning want competition and insurance at the position while they sort out how all the pieces fit. [Read more 🡒]
Another Former Senator Is Following Brady Tkachuk To Florida
Another former Senator is heading to South Florida, with Lars Eller agreeing to a one-year deal with the Panthers in free agency and setting up a reunion with Brady Tkachuk. Ellers stint in Ottawa was a short one, but he brought veteran depth and a steady presence before moving on, and now he joins a Florida group that has been busy adding familiar names from the Senators recent roster.
Donovan Sebrango also landed a one-year contract with the Panthers after reaching free agency, giving Florida another Ottawa connection after he was previously claimed off waivers from the Senators. The Panthers have also brought in former Senator Boko Imama, making the pipeline from Ottawa to Florida even more noticeable as the two teams continue to cross paths in the offseason. [Read more 🡒]
Claude Giroux Decision Could Change Everything For The Senators
The first day of NHL free agency brought plenty of movement around the league, but Claude Giroux was still sitting there as one of the biggest names left unsigned. For Ottawa, that matters because the market is already thinning around the kind of experienced forwards teams lean on when the money gets tight and the options get fewer.
Girouxs next step is shaping up to be one of the more important decisions of the summer for the Senators, especially with so many teams still sorting through their budgets and their depth charts. Ottawa has work to do in a market where scoring help is still available, but the longer this drags on, the more this becomes about where Giroux sees himself fitting for what could come next. [Read more 🡒]