The Anaheim Ducks bolstered their goaltending options ahead of the regular season by claiming James Reimer off waivers from the Buffalo Sabres on Monday.

As Monday’s deadline approached and teams were finalizing their rosters, players were either reassigned or placed on waivers to make room for the main roster. Typically, players go unclaimed and either get reassigned or released. However, it appears that a former Maple Leafs goaltender has secured his position just in time for the season.

On Monday, it was reported by PuckPedia on X that the Anaheim Ducks had claimed goaltender James Reimer off waivers from the Buffalo Sabres.

James Reimer’s Journey from Toronto to Anaheim

Drafted by the Maple Leafs as the 99th pick in 2006, Reimer quickly won over fans with 20 wins in his rookie season, though his performance waned over the years. After an impressive 19-8-5 record in 2012-2013, his time in Toronto ended when he was traded to San Jose in exchange for goaltender Alex Stalock and other assets.

In his initial tenure with the Sharks, he had a solid 6-2-0 record before signing a five-year contract with the Florida Panthers as insurance for Roberto Luongo, with an eye on becoming the starting goalie.

Reimer enjoyed a resurgence in Florida, compiling a record of 53-42-16 over three seasons before being traded to Carolina in 2019. There, he thrived as a backup, posting a 29-11-4 record with the Hurricanes over two seasons before returning to San Jose and later joining Detroit last year. Reimer holds a career record of 215-177-63, with a 2.88 GAA and a .910 SV%. He has proven to be a reliable backup and is likely to see action if John Gibson or Lukas Dostal face challenges or injuries.

This marks another chapter in James Reimer’s lengthy career. If he continues to play to his strengths and offer dependable backup support, he may find a fitting role with various teams in the future.