DETROIT — James Reimer stepped into a game as a Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender for the first time in over nine years on Saturday in a 6-5 overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings in pre-season action.

Signed by the Maple Leafs on a professional tryout amid Joseph Woll’s indefinite absence due to a personal matter, Reimer stepped in for the second half of the game in relief of Dennis Hildeby and made 24 saves on 28 shots. While the final statistics didn't favor him , Reimer was thrown into a busy situation early, making three saves within the first 90 seconds of action. None of the goals he surrendered came at even strength; all four were on either Detroit’s power play or with six Red Wings skaters on the ice.

Though it was only an exhibition game, it was surreal to see Reimer wearing a Leafs jersey in competitive hockey with Toronto, more than nine years removed from when he was traded by the club to the San Jose Sharks.

“I thought overall I felt pretty good and made a couple mistakes. But... you try and give yourself some grace when it's your first touch in a while,” Reimer said. “I thought I was able to settle in pretty quick and I was seeing the puck for the most part... It was fun to put the sweater on again”.

Reimer had been with the club for about a week with no assurances about his future. Anthony Stolarz is expected to carry the load for the Maple Leafs in Woll’s absence, while Hildeby could see some more action after the young goaltender played in six NHL games with the club last season.

'I Haven't Had That Much Fun In A Long Time': James Reimer Reflects On First Maple Leafs Practice in 9 Years And When He May Play James Reimer stepped onto the ice in a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey for the first time in over nine years on Saturday and the veteran NHL goaltender couldn't stop smiling from ear-to-ear.

With the Leafs getting ready to pare down their roster in time for Monday’s regular-season deadline of 5 p.m. ET, they need to make a decision on their goaltending, meaning Reimer will have to wait.

"I'm going to take it minute by minute, I guess, and we'll see what happens,” Reimer said. “I think, like I said early on in the week, it was a joy to come here, and we'll see what happens—what decisions get made, and what the need is, and what they think they need going forward. So we'll see how that goes, and we'll find out together”.

The Leafs have the following options ahead of them:

A) Sign him to a standard player contract, adding him as either a No. 2 or likely No. 3 option.

B) Release him from his professional tryout.

C) Extend his tryout by converting it to an AHL professional tryout, giving him some reps in the minors since he didn’t get a lot of action in net.

Why The Maple Leafs Signed James Reimer To A Professional Tryout James Reimer is <a href="https://x.com/LeafsPR/status/1971585570502807863">back in a Toronto Maple Leafs uniform</a>.

Either way, Reimer was soaking in the action at Little Caesars Arena. He had a friendly exchange with Dylan Larkin after Detroit’s captain scored the overtime winner. Larkin and Reimer had a friendly exchange on the ice after the game, as the two were teammates in Detroit during the 2023-24 season. Reimer spent some time after the game getting reacquainted with Red Wings staff before boarding the bus with Leafs teammates back to the airport to head back to Toronto.

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