Rangers sign veteran goalie James Reimer after Hartford shutout

A quick path back to the NHL

The New York Rangers have added experienced help in goal, agreeing to a one-year contract with James Reimer on Oct. 25. The move brings the 38-year-old back to the NHL after a brief professional tryout with the Rangers’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack. Financial terms were not announced by the team; Reuters reported that multiple outlets put the deal at $850,000. ^{[1] [2]}

Reimer made a strong first impression in Hartford. In his only game on the tryout, he stopped all 35 shots he faced in a 2-0 win over Providence on Oct. 23. The Wolf Pack subsequently released him from the tryout agreement as he signed with New York. The team also assigned goalie Spencer Martin to Hartford, making room for the veteran in its goaltending mix. ^{[3] [4]}

The shutout was an unusually late-career AHL milestone: NHL.com reported that Reimer was the oldest goalie to record one in the league since Wade Flaherty did so for Rockford in 2008. It was just one outing, but it gave the Rangers a recent look at the goaltender before committing to an NHL contract. ^[5]

Why New York needed another goalie

The signing follows a major disruption in the Rangers’ crease. Igor Shesterkin suffered a season-ending lower-body injury against Washington on Oct. 9, and Dylan Garand took on an extended run of starts. Reuters described Reimer as a likely backup for Garand when the deal was announced; the added depth also gives New York another option to manage Garand’s workload. ^{[2] [5]}

By the following morning, Reimer was set for a quicker introduction: NHL.com’s Oct. 26 game preview listed him as New York’s starter against the Los Angeles Kings that night. The preview also reported the contract value as $850,000. A start would give Garand a break while putting Reimer straight into action with his new club. ^[6]

A long track record

Before joining the Rangers, Reimer had appeared in 539 NHL regular-season games over 16 seasons, compiling a 232-191-67 record, a 2.88 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage. His previous stops included Toronto, San Jose, Florida, Carolina, Detroit, Anaheim, Buffalo and Ottawa. Toronto selected him in the fourth round of the 2006 draft. ^{[1] [2]}

His most recent NHL season was with Ottawa, where he went 7-4-2 in 14 appearances in 2025-26, with a 2.42 goals-against average and an .886 save percentage. The Rangers are acquiring a veteran with extensive experience, though the role he holds over the longer term will depend on his play and the team’s evolving goaltending situation. ^{[1] [2]}