The Buffalo Sabres are in the midst of one of the club’s most exciting moments in recent history. Their current 10-game winning streak has tied the franchise’s all-time mark. They’ll be chasing team history on Saturday as they take on the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena.
However, during the fortuitous streak, the Sabres lost goalie Alex Lyon to injury. Lyon went down at the end of December with what could be a lower-body injury. There is still no word on how long Lyon could be on the shelf.
As such, that situation prompted insiders Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas to speculate that a reunion could be on the horizon for the Sabres and veteran netminder James Reimer.
During the latest edition of the 32 Thoughts Podcast, Friedman discussed that there has been growing interest from several clubs to bring Reimer in. While Friedman did not explicitly mention the Sabres as one of the clubs, Friedman acknowledged that teams with injuries in the crease could be looking for a solution.
The Sabres, at the moment, are rolling with Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Colten Ellis. Ellis is coming off IR following concussion protocol. So, it seems the Sabres are fine for now. But if Lyon misses significant time, the club may look into another goaltending option.
Reimer Looking for a Good Situation
One of the crucial points that Friedman focused on was Reimer’s desire for a “good” situation. That situation entails landing on a contending team in which he could have a meaningful role.
That’s an interesting point, as Reimer joined the Toronto Maple Leafs on a PTO earlier this season. The Maple Leafs had an uncertain goalie situation heading into the start of training. Yet, Toronto cut ties with Reimer before the start of the season.
Since then, reports suggest that Reimer has remained in shape in hopes of landing one more opportunity. Most recently, Reimer participated on Team Canada at the Spengler Cup. Reimer backstopped Canada to its only win at the tournament, a 3-2 win over the US collegiate squad.
Sabres Good Situation for Reimer
So, wouldn’t the Sabres be the “good” situation Reimer is looking for? Entering Saturday’s action, the Sabres are in the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. The club is red-hot and could be on track for a fantastic second-half run.
That sounds like just the situation Reimer could be hoping for. That said, a reunion between the Sabres and Reimer hinges on the future of Alex Lyon. If Lyon’s injury is only a short-term issue, Buffalo will have three NHL-caliber goalies.
As a result, the club would have no use for Reimer. Then again, things could change in the coming weeks. So, it’s worth keeping an eye on Reimer and the Sabres moving forward. Given the purported interest in Reimer, Buffalo may find itself in a slight bidding war for the veteran goalie.
Reimer played 22 games for the Sabres last season. He sported a 2.90 GAA and a .901 SV%. He signed a one-year deal last season. However, Buffalo waived Reimer, leading the Anaheim Ducks to claim him. The Sabres reclaimed Reimer after the Ducks attempted to send him down to the AHL.
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