The Ottawa Senators have inked a one-way contract for the remainder of the season with veteran goalie James Reimer, aged 37. This agreement, valued at $850,000, comes at a time when the team’s primary netminder, Linus Ullmark, is currently taking a personal absence.
Reimer, who has suited up for seven other NHL teams, boasts a career spanning 525 games since his debut in December 2010 with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Notably, the experienced goaltender played 22 games with the Buffalo Sabres last season, achieving a .901 save percentage that would have positioned him as Ottawa’s top goaltender this season. Additionally, Reimer’s 2.90 goals-against average closely mirrors that of Ullmark.
The Manitoba native recently represented Team Canada in the prestigious Spengler Cup, a renowned European club hockey competition. Following this, Reimer secured a trial contract with the Belleville Senators. In his debut game against Rochester, he made 22 saves out of 28 shots in a loss at home.
In a notable incident from 2023, while playing for the San Jose Sharks, Reimer opted out of participating in a pre-game warmup where the team donned Pride-themed jerseys. Citing personal beliefs rooted in his faith, Reimer stated his support for the LGBTQ+ community in hockey but chose not to endorse actions conflicting with his convictions based on religious beliefs. The NHL subsequently prohibited the use of “cause-based” jerseys in the following season due to similar decisions made by a few other players.
Since Ullmark’s absence began on December 28, Ottawa has struggled, losing five out of seven games and conceding an average of four goals per game. At the midway mark of the season, the Senators find themselves tied with the Columbus Blue Jackets at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings with 45 points.