How Will the Toronto Maple Leafs Goaltending Look After Free Agency?

Toronto Maple Leafs Familiar Faces

Next up, familiar faces Johnathan Bernier and James Reimer. It was no more than 5 seasons ago that the two of them shared the net for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

In his years since leaving the Six, 32-year-old Bernier, has served as a strong starting option in goal for a very subpar Detroit Red Wings team. Every year Detroit has put a borderline NHL-caliber defensive group in front of Bernier and consistently he has still put up save percentages north of .904 every year, with his most recent year being the best at .914% with 24 games played.

Now as I move on to the next familiar name of 33-year-old James Reimer, I want everyone to omit Boston 2013 from their brain. It’s happened, it’s over, and James Reimer is a darn good goalie.

Since being traded from Toronto in 2016, Reimer has bounced around the league. With stints in San Jose, Florida, and most recently, Carolina, Reimer has made a name for himself as the more than capable 1B. It’s the role he’s served everywhere he’s gone since Toronto.

Not to mention in only one year since Toronto, has Reimer posted a sub .906 SV%. Not too bad for someone who a lot of people labeled a sieve during his time here.

There are lots of fond memories (as well as some not so fond ones) from the Reimer/Bernier era in Toronto, and on a short term deal, as their age gets up there and their careers come to an end, I would love to see the opportunity for one of these two more than competent goalies come back to Toronto to redeem themselves.