Rangers Sign James Reimer to One-Year, $850K Deal After Season-Ending Shesterkin Injury
The New York Rangers signed goaltender James Reimer to a one-year contract on Sunday, turning to a 38-year-old veteran after losing Igor Shesterkin for the season.
The club announced on X that it had agreed to terms with Reimer on a one-year deal. The contract value was not in the club’s announcement; it carries a pro-rated cap hit of $850,000 for the remainder of 2026-27, according to figures attributed to Chris Johnston and Daily Faceoff.
Why the Rangers needed a body in net
Shesterkin, the Rangers’ All-Star starter, is out for the rest of the 2026-27 season with a knee injury. Joonas Korpisalo, acquired July 1 for a 2028 fourth-round pick to serve as the backup, has been on injured reserve with a lower-body injury since the preseason and is expected back by the second week of November.
Rookie Dylan Garand has carried the load in the meantime, going 4-4-1 with a .900 save percentage in nine appearances. Reimer gives the club a proven NHL fallback behind Garand until Korpisalo returns.
From Hartford tryout to NHL deal
Reimer signed a professional tryout agreement with the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack roughly 10 days ago and made his case in his lone appearance, a 35-save shutout over the Providence Bruins on Friday, October 23. The Rangers released him from the PTO on Sunday morning to make room for the NHL deal.
In the corresponding move, the Rangers assigned goaltender Spencer Martin and defenseman Matthew Robertson to Hartford. Martin allowed three goals in 35 minutes in his only NHL appearance this season.
Reimer, 38, is entering his 17th NHL season with a career record of 232-191-67 and a .909 save percentage over 539 games. He went 7-4-2 with a 2.42 goals-against average and an .886 save percentage in 14 outings with the Ottawa Senators last season. Once he appears in a game for the Rangers, he would join his ninth NHL franchise, which would tie Cam Talbot’s league record for most teams played for by a goaltender.
Reimer’s path mirrors his 2025-26 season in Ottawa, when a Belleville tryout also led to an NHL contract. Goaltending depth moves continue around the league, with the Jets claiming goalie Clay Stevenson off waivers this month and the Stars locking in backup Casey DeSmith on a two-year extension.