James Reimer Brings Steadying Presence to Senators' Crease
It’s only been two games, but for a team that’s been searching for stability between the pipes since Craig Anderson’s departure, James Reimer’s arrival in Ottawa feels like a breath of fresh air.
The 37-year-old netminder, who just signed with the Senators as an unrestricted free agent 10 days ago, is already making his presence felt. After a brief stint on a professional tryout with the club’s AHL affiliate, Reimer stepped into the NHL crease and delivered exactly what the Senators have been missing all season: calm, composed, veteran goaltending.
Tuesday night in Columbus, Reimer earned his first win in an Ottawa uniform, stopping 21 shots in a 4-1 victory over the Blue Jackets. It wasn’t a game where he had to stand on his head, but it didn’t need to be. The Senators played strong two-way hockey, and when they needed a save - especially during a tense second period that saw Columbus earn three power plays and fire six shots - Reimer was there to shut the door.
“He was awesome,” said alternate captain Thomas Chabot postgame. “He made some big saves on the penalty kill, he made some big saves and kept us in it.
I just thought it was a full team win. We’ve been close to it the last couple of games and we did it for the full 60 minutes.”
That full 60-minute effort is something Ottawa’s been chasing for much of the season, and Reimer’s steadying influence might just be the catalyst they’ve needed.
In his debut with the club on Sunday, Reimer turned aside 30 shots in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Red Wings. Through two games, he’s stopped 51 of 56 shots, posting a 2.51 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage. For a Senators team that entered the week with the NHL’s worst save percentage at .867, those numbers represent a significant - and much-needed - upgrade.
Since Anderson’s departure following the 2019-20 season, Reimer is now the 14th goaltender to suit up for the Senators. That revolving door in net has been a major storyline in Ottawa’s rebuild, and while it’s too early to declare Reimer the long-term solution, his early returns have brought a sense of calm to a position that’s been anything but.
The Senators’ coaching staff clearly saw enough to make a roster move. On Tuesday, the club reassigned Leevi Merilainen to Belleville and called up Hunter Shepard to serve as Reimer’s backup in Columbus. Merilainen is expected to start for Belleville against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Wednesday - a move that suggests the Senators want their young netminder playing meaningful minutes in the AHL rather than sitting in an NHL backup role.
For now, the crease belongs to Reimer. And if he continues to deliver this kind of poise and consistency, the Senators may finally have found the stopgap they’ve been searching for - and perhaps a little breathing room in a season that’s been anything but predictable.