Inside the Article:
Veteran goaltender James Reimer was among the many new additions to the Detroit Red Wings by general manager Steve Yzerman on Saturday, the first day of the NHL’s free-agency period.
James Reimer is a veteran of nearly 500 NHL games
Reimer, who began his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs after he was selected by them with the 99th pick in 2006, has also played for the Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, and two tenures with the San Jose Sharks.
He’s earned 204 career wins with a combined save percentage of .911, along with 28 shutouts. His numbers last year were subpar, but plenty of that can be chalked up to the fact that he was playing on a poor San Jose team that was nowhere near the playoffs.
He was not the only netminder that Detroit signed on Saturday, as they also landed former Panthers goalie Alex Lyon. Both of them will be in competition for the backup role behind starter Ville Husso.
Reimer is happy to join a traditional team like the Detroit Red Wings
“I’ve been blessed to play in this League for a long time, and I started in Toronto which is a big hockey market; there’s a buzz and certain excitement when you play in a big market,” Reimer said. “In the last couple of years, I’ve been in smaller markets. There’s something exciting coming back to a traditional hockey market and an Oringal 6-team where there’s a ton of history. That’s really exciting and then just like I said, the direction of the team.
“Obviously, they probably haven’t had the success they would have wanted the last few years, but that’s a symptom of the success they’ve had in the past in a cap world,” he said. “But I think now, they’re building and Steve is obviously putting his fingerprint on the team. I think everyone around the League sees kind of what’s going on here, and what they’re doing and I think it’s exciting to be a part of that.”
When asked about the prospect of playing with Husso, Reimer had nothing but good things to say about his new teammate.
“I’ve heard a lot of good things about Ville, he’s a heck of a goalie and I’m looking forward to competing with him and helping out the squad as best I can.”
Key Points
- James Reimer was among the many free-agent signings by Detroit
- He will be in competition with Alex Lyon for the backup role
- He’s happy to be back in a traditional hockey market
- He believes the NHL sees what GM Steve Yzerman is building in Detroit, and he’s happy to be part of it
Bottom Line: A healthy goalie competition is good for any NHL team
It’s going to be a good thing that both Reimer and Lyon will be in competition with one another to land the official backup role; healthy competition between teammates helps to motivate everyone to be the best version of themselves.
Reimer should fit in nicely with the Red Wings and can lend valuable mentorship to Husso should he be the one who ultimately lands the backup position.
