With the temporary loss of goaltender Joseph Woll as the netminder has taken a personal leave of absence, the Leafs have recently made a surprise move to address this hole in their roster.
Toronto was expected to potentially bring on added goaltending depth as an insurance policy in case they end up being without Woll for an extended period. Who they decided to turn to is what is unexpected here.
The Maple Leafs have signed former netminder James Reimer to a PTO (Professional Tryout Contract). Reimer is familiar with Toronto as he used to be a starter for the Leafs from 2010-2016. He has been relegated to a backup role later in his career of late.
What the Reimer PTO means for Toronto
The fact the Leafs found it necessary to bring on Reimer as a depth option just in case on standby confirms there is some worry there that they may be without Woll at least to start the season.
By bringing Reimer to the fold, it gives Toronto more options to work with in the crease. It gives starter Anthony Stolarz more support and relegates Dennis Hildeby to a 3rd stringer role for now.
We'll see how Reimer performs in preseason action and if he earns a proper contract with the club. Much of that will likely have to do with what the timeline looks like in regards to Woll's absence from the team.
James Reimer last played with the Buffalo Sabres and Anaheim Ducks last season. The 37 year old vet has amassed a 225-187-65 record spread across 15 NHL seasons.