What Happened
James Reimer's time with the Rangers appears to be ending. According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the 38-year-old goaltender was placed on waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract, one day after clearing regular waivers unclaimed and being assigned to AHL Hartford. Reimer signed a rest-of-season deal at the prorated $850K league minimum after Igor Shesterkin went down with a season-ending injury, and allowed three goals on eight shots in his only Rangers start, Oct. 26 against Los Angeles.
Key Details
- Reimer, 38, signed a rest-of-season contract at the prorated league minimum of $850K after joining on an AHL PTO
- He cleared regular waivers unclaimed and was assigned to AHL Hartford a day before the termination placement
- Joonas Korpisalo was activated off injured reserve the previous day
- Reimer's only Rangers appearance: Oct. 26 start versus Los Angeles, three goals on eight shots in one period
- He recorded a 35-save shutout in his one game with the Hartford Wolf Pack
- Dylan Garand has handled every Rangers start since Oct. 26
What It Means
New York's goaltending situation shifted quickly. Reimer was signed as a short-term fix once Shesterkin was lost for the season, but Korpisalo's return from injured reserve and Garand's recent workload left no NHL role for him. Instead of remaining in Hartford as insurance, Reimer is stepping away from the contract, which removes an experienced depth option from the Rangers' organization.
What's Next
The termination still has to run its course through the waiver process. In the meantime, New York proceeds with Korpisalo back from injured reserve and Garand, who has started every game since Oct. 26, behind him.