The Ducks have picked up James Reimer from the Sabres, according to Elliotte Friedman.
Reimer, at 36 years old, has played over 500 NHL games. Last season, he was a decent backup for the Red Wings but ended up as the third-choice goalie for the Sabres after signing a one-year deal worth $1 million in July. With Devon Levi and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen ahead of him, it wasn’t surprising that he was placed on waivers unless Buffalo wanted three goalies.
Despite his limited playtime with Detroit in 2023-24—just 20 starts and five relief appearances—his performance improved from his previous year with the Sharks. His save percentage of .904, goals-against average of 3.11, and GSAA of 0.3 were all better than before. Fans might think he’s still got what it takes to be a reliable backup somewhere else.
Reimer’s New Opportunity:
Now in Anaheim, Reimer gets another shot as a veteran presence while John Gibson recovers from appendix surgery . Gibson is expected back in one to four weeks, so until then, rookie Calle Clang was supposed to start as Lukáš Dostál’s backup without any NHL experience under his belt.
With Reimer joining the team, Clang can head back to AHL San Diego where he’ll get more practice time instead of jumping straight into NHL action. The Ducks are ready for opening night with their roster set at 13 forwards, eight defenders, and two goalies if Clang is reassigned.
Anaheim will also have $20.64 million left in projected cap space after bringing in Reimer—a nice cushion moving forward! What do you think about this move?
