For all his good karma, James Reimer won’t be handed a job by Leafs

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James Reimer has to know that his feel-good story of the week for the Maple Leafs won’t necessarily have a satisfying ending.

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For all of the great memories his re-appearance in the Toronto crease created, he’ll have to make new ones on a far better team than the one he was traded from in 2016.

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Right now, his status is undefined, here on a professional tryout contract, with no guarantee he gets the back-up role to Anthony Stolarz, even if Joseph Woll’s unexplained absence from training camp for personal reasons stretches into weeks.

The 37-year-old Reimer is an insurance policy if Dennis Hildeby isn’t deemed ready to be an NHL backup (the gigantic Swede has played well so far) or if roster considerations dictate Hildeby starts with the Marlies. It could be he’s in the same limbo as Matt Murray last season.

As of Saturday afternoon, Leafs coach Craig Berube was unsure if he could get Reimer into one of the two remaining exhibition games against Detroit next week, needing consultation with general manager Brad Treliving.
Stolarz, with Artur Akhtyamov behind him Saturday night against Montreal, would presumably want one of those last pre-season starts before the season opener against Montreal a week Wednesday.

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After breakfast with forward Easton Cowan, a childhood admirer of his and a toddler when Reimer was drafted by the Leafs from WHL Red Deer, and following a practice he called “as much fun as I’ve had in a long time,” Reimer assessed his situation with the Toronto media.

Thoughts of retirement dogged him after a season spent with two non-qualifying playoff teams, Anaheim and Buffalo, though with a winning record as a Sabre. His 525 career games include 225 victories and a .910 save percentage.

“I’m in a spot, the way last year ended, where I was really happy the way my career has gone and I have a lot of contentment with what I’ve done so far,” he said. “Saying that, I took some time after the season to feel it out, see if I wanted to keep playing. And it became clear I still love the game and love to compete.

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“I just ran with that feeling. I’d prepare myself and if the right opportunity came, I’d be ready to seize it. I kept training (near his Kelowna, B.C. home), like something would happen until it didn’t and that time has not come. When this came along, I thought it was something I should jump on.”

A 20-game winner in his rookie season as a Leaf after coming up through the ECHL, Reimer’s development was hindered somewhat by weak teams in front of him and he was gradually phased out as veteran Jonathan Bernier arrived in 2013-14.

Despite his infectious optimism, Reimer never found a second home after his trade to San Jose. Meanwhile, the Leafs soon added high picks William Nylander, Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews, to start a nine-year playoff streak. Reimer was in goal when the Leafs lost Game 7 to Boston in that spectacular 2013 crash-and-burn and of his six teams since, just four more playoff games resulted, none since 2020.

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Today’s challege is finding time behind, Stolarz, eventually a fully functioning Woll and the rise of Hildeby, and that is if he passes the PTO test.

“Expectations are a funny thing, everyone has their own,” Reimer said. “I have expectations for myself and those are the ones I try to focus on. So far, it’s been a great two days.

“You’re in the moment and take care of what’s in front of you. Obviously, the future is uncertain based on what the role could be, if there is one. You don’t worry about it, it’s no different than anything else. When things happen, you deal with it.”

Reimer was coy on who first called whom, his agent or Treliving once Woll was granted leave. But you could see him take a deep breath during his early stretches Saturday to look around the old/new Ford Centre practice facility, at the Stanley Cup banners and the viewing deck where Leafs brass and TV cameras are still concentrated.

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“This is where the whole thing got going (for the 99th overall pick in 2006 when John Ferguson Jr. was GM, with Jiri Tlusty and Nikolay Kulemin selected ahead of him). It’s the greatest game on Earth and the greatest city to play it in.

“There are so many good memories: I’m sure there are some bad ones, but I don’t remember them and (hopefully) no one else does, either.

“There’s a little more grey in my beard. I feel I’m pretty much the same person, but with age comes a little more wisdom, maturity and experience. I’m still trying to enjoy everything the Lord has gifted upon me and try and steward it the best I can.

“I’ve been really blessed to be in this league for so long and you don’t take it for granted.”
Now, to create a fitting exit.

Lhornby@postmedia.com 

X: @sunhornby

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