Plagued by weak goaltending performances, the Ottawa Senators inked journeyman goalie James Reimer to a minor league professional tryout contract with the intention of signing and playing him in the NHL, TSN reported.<\/p>\n
Ottawa\u2019s AHL affiliate, the Belleville Senators, confirmed \u200dReimer\u2019s addition Friday.<\/p>\n
The news emerged Thursday night as Ottawa was in the process of losing 8-2 to the host Colorado Avalanche, the NHL\u2019s top team. Leevi Merilainen allowed three goals on 18 shots, and backup Mads Sogaard let in five goals on 16 shots before Merilainen was reinserted into the game.<\/p>\n
The Senators own the league\u2019s worst team save percentage (.872) and slumped to 15th place in the Eastern Conference \u2014 \u200cfive points out of a wild-card position \u2014 with three consecutive losses \u200cthis week.<\/p>\n
Starting goalie Linus Ullmark, whose save percentage over 28 games is .881, remains away from the team indefinitely on personal leave.<\/p>\n
Merilainen stood out for Ottawa as a rookie in 2024-25, posting a .925 save percentage in 12 appearances, but he possesses an .867 save rate in 16 games this season. Sogaard, an \u200bAHL call-up, has a career .892 save percentage in 30 outings.<\/p>\n
Hunter Shepard, another goalie in Ottawa\u2019s system, stopped 10 of 12 shots in Monday\u2019s 5-3 loss to the Detroit Red Wings, \u200dhis Senators\u2019 debut.<\/p>\n
The Senators hope Reimer, 37, can be \u200ba serviceable partner to Ullmark once the Swedish starter is back \u200bfrom leave, according to TSN.<\/p>\n
A 15-year veteran, Reimer has a .910 career save percentage across 525 games (479 starts) \u200dwith the Toronto Maple Leafs (2010-16), San Jose Sharks (2016, 2021-23), Florida Panthers (2016-19), Carolina Hurricanes (2019-21), Detroit Red Wings (2023-24), Anaheim Ducks (2024) and Buffalo Sabres (2024-25).<\/p>\n
Reimer played two games for Canada at the recent Spengler Cup during his time as an unsigned free agent.<\/p>\n
Ullmark was designated as a non-roster player Thursday in a procedural move that allowed the Senators to activate center Lars Eller, who \u200dmissed 12 games with a broken foot.<\/p>\n
General manager Steve Staios forcefully denied rumors that spread online Thursday about the nature of Ullmark\u2019s leave, which was announced Dec. 28.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur organization was extremely disappointed \u200dto read the completely fabricated and \u200dfalse stories that are spreading around social media about our hockey \u200bclub. Linus is away from our team for personal reasons and \u200bhe has \u2060the entire organization\u2019s support,\u201d Staios said in a statement.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe asked \u200cthat people respect his privacy, but clearly that request was not heard by the lowest forms of trolls and sick people who scour the internet. We are disgusted that outside forces are attempting to disrupt our hockey club. This statement will put an end to the ridiculous speculation that has spread online.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Senators\u2019 next games come at home against the Florida Panthers on Saturday and the Vancouver Canucks \u2060on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
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