Reimer Gets His Shot With the Big Club

James Reimer signed a one-year, $850,000 contract with the Rangers and is set to make his first start for the big club, the team confirming he'll get the net against the Los Angeles Kings. The move converts what began as a PTO with Hartford into a genuine roster spot, and the timing is straightforward: the Rangers need someone to share the load with Dylan Garand.

That need has been real since mid-October, when Igor Shesterkin went down with a season-ending injury. The 6-3 loss to Los Angeles last week underlined how much that absence costs this team. Shesterkin is one of the best goalies in the league on his best days, and there is no replacing that — only managing around it.

Reimer is a veteran who has been around the league long enough to know his role here. He is not a savior; he is a second option who lets Garand breathe. Whether that is enough to keep the Rangers competitive while they wait to see if this group can hold together is the question that will define the next stretch of their season.