On a night when the Colorado Avalanche looked human for the first time in a while, it was a familiar face-just not in the jersey Leafs fans might’ve expected-who helped bring them back down to earth.
James Reimer, once a training camp invitee with the Toronto Maple Leafs, turned back the clock and turned away the league’s top team, backstopping the Ottawa Senators to a 5-2 win on Wednesday night. It wasn’t a 40-save masterpiece, but Reimer didn’t need to be flashy-he just needed to be solid. And he was exactly that, stopping 16 of 18 shots, including a handful of key saves during a third-period Avalanche push.
This one wasn’t just about Reimer, though. The Senators brought their trademark grit and structure, the kind of game that mucks things up for even the most skilled opponents.
Colorado’s high-octane offense, led by Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, couldn’t find its rhythm. Ottawa clogged the neutral zone, closed gaps quickly, and limited Colorado to just 18 shots all game.
That’s no small feat against a team that usually generates offense in waves.
And when the Avalanche did manage to break through, Reimer was there. Calm, composed, and poised-traits that have defined the 37-year-old’s long NHL journey.
He stood tall when it mattered most, especially in the third period when Colorado pressed to close the gap. Ottawa added two empty-net goals late, but those opportunities don’t happen without Reimer holding the line when the game was still very much in the balance.
For the Senators, the win was a bit of payback. Earlier this season, Colorado ran them out of the building in an 8-4 rout. This time, Ottawa flipped the script with a disciplined, grinding effort that wore the Avalanche down.
And for Reimer, this win had to feel a little sweeter. Not just because it came against the NHL’s best, but because of where he was just a few months ago-on the outside looking in with the Maple Leafs.
Toronto brought him in on a professional tryout, more of a precaution than a plan. They ultimately let him go, choosing instead to claim Cayden Primeau off waivers.
At the time, it was a depth move. The Leafs didn’t really need Reimer. But looking back now, with the way goaltending has been a rollercoaster in Toronto, it’s fair to wonder if they let a steady veteran walk out the door a little too soon.
Reimer hasn’t exactly been lights-out in Ottawa-he’s won two of his five starts with one overtime loss-but he’s done what you ask from a backup: give your team a chance to win. And when the Senators needed him to be sharp against one of the league’s most dangerous squads, he delivered.
It’s a reminder that in this league, opportunity and timing are everything. Reimer didn’t stick in Toronto, but he’s finding his footing in Ottawa. And on a night when the Avalanche came to town riding high, it was the veteran netminder who helped bring them back down.