Gino Hard just reported that James Reimer has been placed on waivers by the Rangers after a single period of work this season.
That makes the veteran goaltender available to all 31 other NHL teams. The Rangers host the Flyers tonight, and the timing says plenty about where their crease situation stands.
Gino Hard noted that Reimer allowed three goals on eight shots in his lone appearance, and that it came as Joonas Korpisalo nears a return.
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That outing is the whole story of Reimer's season in New York. One game played, one period, three goals against, and now a waiver wire.
We saw it unfold in real time. James Reimer's Rangers debut on October 27 turned ugly fast, and it left head coach Mike Sullivan with another problem in goal.
Reimer is 38 years old and has 539 regular-season games on his NHL résumé. He was never going to be a long-term answer, but nobody expected the experiment to end after 20 minutes.
Why Korpisalo's return forces the Rangers' hand
Korpisalo is listed on injured reserve with a foot injury, and according to the latest injury report he is expected to be out until at least Nov. 9. That date is an estimate, but it gives the Rangers a clear window.
Once he is healthy, there is no room for a third goalie who has already shown he can't hold a game together. Carrying Reimer through that return would have been a roster luxury the team doesn't need.
The Rangers are 8-7-1 through 16 games and sit third in the Metropolitan Division. They are 7-2-0 at home and just 1-5-1 on the road, so every goaltending decision matters when the schedule turns away from Madison Square Garden.
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | DIFF | |
| 1. Carolina Hurricanes | 17 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 26 | +24 |
| 2. New Jersey Devils | 15 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 20 | +9 |
| 3. New York Rangers | 16 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 17 | +1 |
| 4. Washington Capitals | 14 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 16 | +1 |
| 5. New York Islanders | 14 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 16 | +1 |
| 6. Columbus Blue Jackets | 13 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 12 | -5 |
| 7. Pittsburgh Penguins | 15 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 12 | -3 |
| 8. Philadelphia Flyers | 17 | 4 | 9 | 4 | 12 | -21 |
Reimer's start was one of those games that sours a team's view of a depth move quickly. Moving on this fast is the right call, and frankly the Rangers should have had a better plan in net before they leaned on a 38-year-old for a start.
Now the question shifts to the waiver wire. If another team claims him, the Rangers are done with the issue. If nobody does, Reimer's next stop becomes the more interesting story, and the answer should come within the next day.
Should any NHL team claim James Reimer off waivers after one bad period?
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