TORONTO — Joseph Woll, the first drafted-and-developed Toronto Maple Leafs starting goaltender since James Reimer, is being replaced by… James Reimer.
At least for now.
As a stopgap. An inexpensive, experienced placeholder.
Among an extremely limited pool of goaltenders still unsigned in late September, Reimer returns to Toronto on professional tryout as both the oldest UFA goalie on the market (37) and the one with the best save percentage (.897) last season.
Reimer is expected to hit the ice with his new-slash-old team on Saturday.
The veteran’s mid-camp invite arrives on the same day that a younger, pricier option — Utah’s Connor Ingram ($1.95 million cap hit) — is available on waivers and just three mornings after Woll left the club indefinitely to attend to a personal family matter.
“We’re going to give Joe some space,” Leafs GM Brad Treliving said Wednesday on Real Kyper & Bourne. “We certainly expect him back, but at this point we don’t know what this is.”
An unexpected predicament arose.
Treliving could simply begin the season with a gigantic (and gigantically unproven) tandem of injury-prone Anthony Stolarz (career-high starts: 33) and still-developing prospect Dennis Hildeby (career starts: six).
Alternatively, he could poke around the trade market with minimal assets to spend; snatch Ingram off waivers; or bring in a UFA like Reimer, ex-Leaf Ilya Samsonov (with whom the club has an unpleasant arbitration history) or Georgii Romanov (who’s no more proven than Hildeby).
“Is there something out there that’s better than what we have? That’s the question we ask our staff every day,” Treliving said. “In Dennis’s position, this was kinda his time for me. He’s had two years now over in North America.
“He’s been spectacular at times in the American League.”
Which is why Treliving had strayed from signing a veteran, third-string security blanket for his crease over the off-season like he did in 2023 (Martin Jones) and 2024 (Matt Murray).
Reimer — should he earn a job with just three pre-season matches remaining and Woll’s absence lingering — is coming to fill that role.
“Depth” is the reason coach Craig Berube gave reporters for the addition: “He’s an NHL goalie.”
The Morweena, Man., native was drafted by the Leafs 19 years ago and played his first six seasons in Toronto. That remains Reimer’s longest stint.
“He’s been around for so long now. That doesn’t just happen,” longest-serving Leaf Morgan Rielly told reporters Friday. “He’s been working really hard. He’s obviously a great goalie. And it’s just cool to see him back in the building.”
Added William Nylander: “Just an amazing guy. It’s great to see him playing. It’s going to be a lot of fun to have him back in the squad.”
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That remains Reimer’s longest stint. He has now changed clubs eight times since, registering a respectable .910 career save percentage. Stolarz appreciates Reimer’s patience in the pipes.
The journeyman posted a 10-10-2 record and a .896 save percentage last season with rebuilding outfits in Buffalo and Anaheim but started the bulk of games for San Jose as recently as 2022-23.
He won’t be expensive to sign (league minimum should do it) and won’t disrupt the room.
The Atlantic, which boasted five playoff teams last season, could well be the NHL’s most competitive division this season. Early-season stumbling could be costly.
So, it is telling that Treliving was compelled to bring in more goaltending depth.
Woll’s return does not feel imminent.
Hildeby still looks raw.
And the 31-year-old Stolarz, stellar when healthy, has never carried a starter’s burden through 82 games at the NHL level.
Reimer could help the Leafs soften the workload of Stolarz, who has yet to dress in a pre-season game and is still grinding away at a contract extension with Treliving.
“I’m confident that we can get something done, but I don’t look at it as a dire situation at all. He’s poised to have a really good year,” Treliving said.
“If we can get something done before the season starts and give us some certainty there, that would be my preference. If not, I know we’re going to have a really motivated player.”
