Veteran goaltender James Reimer has officially returned to the NHL, signing a one-year, $850,000 contract with the New York Rangers on Sunday.
The 38-year-old netminder initially joined the Hartford Wolf Pack, the Rangers’ American Hockey League affiliate, on a professional tryout contract on Oct. 15. In his lone start for Hartford on Friday, Reimer turned away 35 shots to secure a 2-0 victory against the Providence Bruins. At 38 years and 222 days old, that performance made him the oldest goaltender to record an AHL shutout since Wade Flaherty achieved the feat at 40 years and 62 days old for Rockford on March 13, 2008.
Prior to his stint in the AHL, Reimer last appeared in the NHL for the Ottawa Senators, stopping 19 shots in a 3-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 15. Over his extensive NHL career, Reimer has accumulated a 232-191-67 record with a 2.88 goals-against average, a .909 save percentage, and 32 shutouts across 539 regular-season games, which includes 492 starts. His resume spans stints with the Maple Leafs, San Jose Sharks, Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, Detroit Red Wings, Anaheim Ducks, Buffalo Sabres, and Senators. In the postseason, he holds a 5-5 record with a 2.70 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage across 11 Stanley Cup Playoff games, including 10 starts.
Reimer’s addition to the NHL roster comes as the Rangers navigate a significant injury in their crease. Igor Shesterkin sustained a season-ending lower-body injury during a 3-1 loss to the Washington Capitals on Oct. 9, marking the team’s sixth game of the season. In Shesterkin’s absence, 24-year-old Dylan Garand has taken on the bulk of the workload, making eight consecutive starts. Garand, experiencing his first extended NHL action, holds a 4-4-1 record with a 2.65 goals-against average, a .900 save percentage, and one shutout.
To accommodate Reimer on the roster, Spencer Martin was assigned to Hartford. Martin had been serving as the backup to Garand.
The Rangers, carrying a 7-5-1 record, are set to open a four-game homestand on Monday night against the Los Angeles Kings at Madison Square Garden.
