Rumor: James Reimer looks to be on the move

Veteran NHL goaltender James Reimer is suddenly a hot commodity. 

The 34 year old native of Morweena, Manitoba is the subject of trade rumors given that the San Jose Sharks have both Kaapo Kakhonen and Adin Hill ahead of him on the depth chart. Reimer put up a respectable 2.90 GAA and .911 save percentage in 48 games with the Sharks this past season and proved that he's still a quality netminder capable of at least splitting time in a 1A/1B scenario. In fact, the 48 games Reimer played last season represented a career high. While he's never been an uncontested starter, he has proven time and time again that he can provide quality starts in a backup role.

The problem, of course, is that the teams interested in Reimer likely aren't looking for a backup option. Several rumor reports have Reimer heading to the Vegas Golden Knights as a potential replacement for injured starter Robin Lehner. The Golden Knights announced last week that Lehner will be out for the entirety of the 2022-23 season due to an ongoing hip injury. Reimer could provide them some stability between the pipes, especially if he's combined with another veteran addition like free agent Braden Holtby. 

The Arizona Coyotes have also been linked to Reimer in trade reports given that 26 year old Czech Karel Vejmelka is the only goaltender under NHL contract on the team's roster. I'm willing to bet that the Coyotes couldn't care less who they have in goal though as it appears that their plan is to lose as many games possible, thereby guaranteeing themselves the largest chance of drafting superstar in the making Connor Bedard.

Wherever Reimer ends up, I hope that he gets a legitimate shot at getting some quality starts. He's ridden the NHL roller coaster for over a decade now and has some how, some way managed to stick around long enough to carve out a decent career. Most fans will remember him as the Toronto Maple Leafs' goalie who blew a 4-1 lead to the Boston Bruins back in the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but the truth is that he has been a reliable backup for over a decade now.