Rangers Sign Veteran Goalie James Reimer to AHL Contract

The New York Rangers are bolstering their goaltending depth within their AHL system by signing veteran netminder James Reimer to a professional tryout agreement with the Hartford Wolf Pack. The move comes as the Rangers face significant absences in their goaltending ranks, including the season-ending injury to Igor Shesterkin and Joonas Korpisalo's placement on long-term injured reserve.

Reimer, 38, brings 539 career NHL games of experience to the Wolf Pack. His PTO allows him to play up to 25 games before the team must decide on his future. Hartford's goaltending situation has been strained, with Dylan Garand and Spencer Martin, initially tabbed as the top two AHL options, now serving in the NHL. Currently, Callum Tung and Gabriel Carriere are the goaltenders for the Wolf Pack.

The Rangers announced on October 10 that Korpisalo would be sidelined for an additional four weeks. Reimer's most recent NHL season saw him appear in 14 games for the Senators in 2022-23, starting 13 of them. During that time, he recorded a 7-4-2 record with a .886 save percentage and a 2.42 goals-against average.

Throughout his NHL career, which commenced with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2010-11 season, Reimer has maintained a .909 save percentage and a 2.87 goals-against average. While not expected to drastically alter the Rangers' immediate goaltending outlook, Reimer's addition provides experience to a depth chart that has undergone significant changes since the start of the season.

Prior to these developments, the Rangers faced early challenges. Just before their second game of the season, Korpisalo sustained a lower-body injury. Approximately a week later, Shesterkin suffered a season-ending right knee injury on October 9. This series of events led to Garand, who had lost the backup competition in training camp and was initially placed on waivers before being recalled after Korpisalo's injury, stepping into the starting role for the NHL club. Garand has performed well in his starts, winning both of his appearances since Shesterkin's injury leading up to Thursday's game against the Devils, posting a .951 save percentage and a 1.15 goals-against average through four games played.