The last time that James Reimer played an NHL game was April 17th, 2025. That game saw him post a .833 save percentage while making 20 saves on 24 shots on goal. His performance would help the Buffalo Sabres to a 5-4 win over the Philadelphia Flyers in what was the team's final game of the regular season.
Coming off of an appearance in the 2025 Spengler Cup, James Reimer will have yet another chance to start for an NHL team. Late Thursday, it was announced that James Reimer had been signed to a professional tryout with the Ottawa Senators' AHL affiliate, the Belleville Senators.
The hope is that the former Toronto Maple Leaf can sign an NHL deal with the Ottawa Senators in the coming days.
The move comes as the Ottawa Senators have experienced significant struggles in recent weeks, winning just two of their last six games. This is especially true for the goaltending department, which had been at the forefront of the team's dip in performance since Linus Ullmark took a leave of absence on December 28th.
Since Linus Ullmark announced his leave of absence, the Senators have given up 25 goals over that span (equivalent to about four goals against per game) while scoring just fifteen goals.
The team's most recent result was an 8-2 blowout loss to the league-leading Colorado Avalanche. In that loss, Leevi Merilainen posted an .833 save percentage in relation to 18 shots faced. Mads Sogaard fared no better, putting up a .688 save percentage on 16 shots.
Over the course of his 525 NHL starts, James Reimer holds a 225-187-65 record (wins, losses, overtime losses). His combined goals against average is just shy of three goals per game, while his career save percentage is .910.
Should the Senators get James Reimer signed to an NHL contract, he would undoubtedly give their goaltending department a significant boost. Not only would an injection of veteran experience be important for the Senators if they are to get back into the Eastern Conference playoff race, but it could also provide some stability in net until Linus Ullmark returns.
The Ottawa Senators' next game is a Saturday night affair against the Florida Panthers. However, what could be the most important stretch of their season begins just one week later when they contest a weekend-spanning back-to-back against the Montreal Canadiens and the Detroit Red Wings.