The Toronto Maple Leafs made two interesting waiver claims ahead of Monday’s roster deadline.
The first was forward Sammy Blais from the Montreal Canadiens. As my colleague Thomas Williams noted earlier, Blais was placed on waivers for the purpose of assignment to the AHL. The Habs hoped to sneak him through, but it didn’t work.
The other Maple Leafs’ waiver claim was goalie Cayden Primeau. Toronto plucked Primeau from the Carolina Hurricanes. The Canes had signed Primeau as insurance this offseason, but ended up cutting him at the last minute.
So, the Leafs, needing goaltending insurance, chose to nab Primeau. That waiver claim meant the end of the line for former Toronto netminder James Reimer. The club officially announced it had released the netminder from his PTO.
The Maple Leafs have released G James Reimer from his Professional Tryout (PTO).
— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) October 6, 2025
The writing was on the wall for the 37-year-old veteran after the awful game he had in the preseason finale against the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night. Reimer surrendered four goals, including the overtime winner, as the Maple Leafs blew the lead late in the game.
The expression on Reimer was evident following the third-period game-tying goal. At that point, it’s almost as if he knew it was the end for him in Toronto.
Maple Leafs may not be Reimer’s last NHL club
The Toronto Maple Leafs may not be the last NHL club James Reimer could play for in his career. There are numerous clubs looking for goaltending help this season. While that help could be more as a third or even fourth-stringer, Reimer might still get one more kick at the NHL can this season.
Clubs like the Carolina Hurricanes, Edmonton Oilers, Chicago Blackhawks, Colorado Avalanche, and Detroit Red Wings have explored the need for goaltending depth. So, there might be another opportunity for Reimer elsewhere.
Since leaving Toronto in 2016, Reimer has been somewhat of a journeyman netminder. He’s played for various organizations, mainly in a backup role. At this point in his career, Reimer could be a decent emergency option for a club thin on goaltending beyond their main tandem.
So, fans shouldn’t rule out seeing Reimer back in the NHL at some point in the not-too-distant future.