"Matthews gotta give up 34" "The Reiminister returns": Maple Leafs fans react as Toronto signs James Reimer to a PTO

The Toronto Maple Leafs announced on Friday that they signed veteran goalie James Reimer to a Professional Tryout. Reimer started his NHL career in Toronto. He was drafted in 2006 and played six seasons before he was traded to San Jose in 2016.

“The @MapleLeafs have signed G James Reimer to a Professional Tryout (PTO),” Leafs PR tweeted.

Toronto signed Reimer as goalie depth after Joseph Woll stepped away for personal reasons, with Anthony Stolarz taking on starting duties. Reimer will compete with Dennis Hildeby, Artur Akhtyamov and Vyacheslav Peksa for a spot.

Fans shared their reactions on his signing.

"The Reiminister returns!" one fan said.

"Matthews gotta give up 34 now. To the best 34 OAT," another fan said.

"Jimothy James himself you say?!? I can pull out the reiminister of defence again?!?!?!" a fan wrote.

Here more fan reactions on X.

"Toss Reimer on the Marlies and let Hildebeast backup Stolie," another fan wrote.

"Realized Reimer's retirement is approaching. If could hire him, hope can have positive influence on our young goalies," one fan commented.

"That means (Connor) Ingram didn’t make it to their claim slot," a fan said.

"Whatever is up with Woll… this signing tells me not good at all," another fan commented.

Maple Leafs' goalie challenge and James Reimer could add depth

The Toronto Maple Leafs have a goaltending challenge as Joseph Woll stepped away for personal reasons. Anthony Stolarz will handle most of the workload going forward until he returns.

Stolarz expressed support for Woll on Thursday.

"We're going to miss him for sure," Stolarz said, via NHL.com. "But knowing the person he is, he's going to be ready when he gets back, and we're going to welcome him with open arms,"

Stolarz is in the final year of his two-year $5 million contract, and is negotiating a potential multiyear deal. He played 34 games last season with a 21-8-3 record, 2.14 goals-against average and .926 save percentage.

Additionally, Dennis Hildeby becomes the backup after signing a three-year deal on Sept. 3, while James Reimer could provide more goalie depth to the Leafs. Reimer had 225 wins in 15 NHL campaigns and went 10-10-2 with a 3.04 goals-against average last season.

About the author

Ankit is an NHL journalist at Sportskeeda with over 3 years of experience in the writing industry. He has expertise in sports, product, and travel content writing. His interest in ice hockey was piqued after watching Sidney Crosby play and he has been passionately following the game since then. Ankit admires Crosby’s personality and hockey IQ, and when he crossed the 1,500 points tally, Ankit was among the biggest fans to celebrate the occasion.

An Edmonton Oilers fan because of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, Ankit also admires the Pittsburgh Penguins due to Crosby and the Colorado Avalanche for Nathan MacKinnon. He is also a fan of Wayne Gretzky and Bobby Orr.

Holding a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Language, Ankit believes his education has helped him develop a knack for presenting information in a precise and compelling manner. He only sources information from credible avenues and trusted people from his network for his articles.

When he is not watching or writing about the NHL, Ankit loves listening to music and reading books.

Know More

Wayne Gretzky’s wife Janet responds to critics questioning his loyalty to Canada, Bobby Orr's support following 4 Nations drama

Edited by Victor Ramon Galvez