Speculation: Will Reimer be considered Infamous in the future?

[Silver91]

He will, rightly or wrongly, go down in a similar vein to Mikael Telqvist. Which, honestly, isn't the worst thing ever, but it's not exactly a glowing review either. Telly got a chance to shine and get us to the playoffs but collapsed under the pressure never to be heard from again. While Reimer has seen a modicum of success, he'll probably be remembered more for his personality than his play, which again isn't a terrible thing, but this season and last year's game 7 will be the most of what anyone remembers about him 5-10 years from now.

 

[HellasLEAF]

This is tough.

On the one hand, we've been getting bailed out by the goalies all year.

On the other hand, Reimer has come in and quite frankly, sucked.

Maybe the Leafs don't even need to be this close to a playoff spot to begin with??

I dunno...

I just want in!

 

[Stephen]

He will, rightly or wrongly, go down in a similar vein to Mikael Telqvist. Which, honestly, isn't the worst thing ever, but it's not exactly a glowing review either. Telly got a chance to shine and get us to the playoffs but collapsed under the pressure never to be heard from again. While Reimer has seen a modicum of success, he'll probably be remembered more for his personality than his play, which again isn't a terrible thing, but this season and last year's game 7 will be the most of what anyone remembers about him 5-10 years from now.

One day, when the Leafs are a legitimate team again, no one is ever going to be look back fondly of the James Reimer years. He's like an Allan Bester. Very entertaining, often spectacular, some WTF moments and ultimately barely an NHLer.

 

[makbeer]

One day, when the Leafs are a legitimate team again, no one is ever going to be look back fondly of the James Reimer years. He's like an Allan Bester. Very entertaining, often spectacular, some WTF moments and ultimately barely an NHLer.

Haha...Allan Bester brings back memories. I loved the guy but man was he mediocre.

 

[Banic]

I'll remember Reimer for his positive attitude and a few unbelievable saves, but mostly his collapses and inability to play with the pressure. Some people can't make it in this market, hopefully he'll find solace and regain his form elsewhere.

 

[Ari91]

He hasn't been that bad to gain such a reputation but it seems people more easily pin all the blame on the goalie even when there's enough blame to go around. Reimer isn't the only reason for this losing streak.

Was Reimer in net or injured when the Leafs collapsed two seasons ago? In any case, there are a lot of the same faces from that year and this year and if the Leafs drop the ball, it wouldn't be fair to pin it on one person but I wouldn't be surprised if people were content in doing just that.

 

[hoglund]

He's the Reiminister of defense! as Joe Bowen says. This losing streak has very little to do with goaltending. Defense and allowing too many odd man rushes are the reasons.

 

[tamle]

I personally will remember Reimer as the goalie in net when the Leafs broke our almost decade long PO drought. And perhaps the goalie that both the management and the coach didn't believe in in the following year.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

Reimer is a goof that when needed sulked and sucked this team to 5losses while our number 1 goalie was hurt. He poisoned the dressing room and put every ounce of pressure on the team.

He is bigger than the team you know and don't call him ok either. He seemed to get upset with that flattering comment from Carlyle. The sooner they dump him the better. He should have be gone at the deadline along with franson and kulemin. Another astute franchise assets managing brain cramp for this sorry a$$ franchise

LOSERS.

 

[ldnk]

If Reimer is held responsible for the Leafs collapse this year then it's only out of ignorance to what the Leafs have been doing on the ice all year.

James Reimer has been a part of the problem this year.

Jonathan Bernier since the Olympic break - 3.45 GAA .901 SV%
James Reimer since the Olympic break - 3.76 GAA .896 SV%

The team in front of the Leafs has been awful in at least 90% of the games this year. The goaltending is finally catching up to this fact. I haven't liked how Reimer has responded to his situation this year. I think Carlyle could have handled it a little better. I think Reimer could have aswell. Bernier has outperformed him and I'm quite happy with Bernier as our #1 over Reimer. But using Reimer as the scapegoat for this trainwreck is ignoring the much larger villains (leadership in the lockerroom, the coaching staff, the play of the forwards and defense in front of their goaltenders).

 

[ULF_55]

Bernier last 5 games:

.977
.800
.917
.862
.857

 

[Gallagbi]

Bernier last 5 games:

.977
.800
.917
.862
.857

Works out to be a ~. 905 save% during that stretch which isn't good enough.

Still a substantial amount higher than Reimer's .870 in his last 5 starts.

 

[Tak7]

"Just OK"

That was it.

That was the moment that this thing just fell off the rails.

EVeryone was asking why so much was made of it?

Because, in hindsight, it turned out to be a season-defining comment

 

[AJRAYMOND]

I'll remember Reimer as the guy that stood on his head and was the 1st star twice and 2nd star once (39 saves 41 Shots)in the Leafs three playoff victories yet got blamed for their collapse. Just like every Leaf goalie before him he got blamed for being awful.... when it was the teams lack of defense that was always the problem. Just like the Monster he'll do well out of Toronto.

 

[Alerion]

I'll remember Reimer as the guy that stood on his head and was the 1st star twice and 2nd star once (39 saves 41 Shots)in the Leafs three playoff victories yet got blamed for their collapse. Just like every Leaf goalie before him he got blamed for being awful.... when it was the teams lack of defense that was always the problem. Just like the Monster he'll do well out of Toronto.

Good post, it's ridiculous that people forget he was the only reason we got to game 7 in the first place.

 

[34]

None of this debacle is Reimer's fault. Its disgusting on how people are treating him! Talk about a short memory...but he is the guy who carried this team to the playoffs last season and came so close to beating Boston!

Hopefully Reimer gets traded to a team that respects him.

 

[Brown Dog]

Reimer stole the game against LA where Bernier got hurt (funny to think that had we lost that one--which we probably should have--it would be 10 straight losses now).

But after that he had a really rough stretch while Bernier was out. All five of those losses were winnable games with better goaltending and I would pin the Montreal, NJ, and possibly Tampa losses primarily on him.

 

[Wendigo]

And Bernier been so good in this stretch? Average at best with moments of brilliance, for sure.

Blaming the goaltender is the pinnacle of non-accountability. Bernier's and Reimer's numbers are similar in this slump, and points to how poor the team plays in front of him. Are people not seeing all the breakaways and 2 on 1's? Or how our D-corps can't seem to box out anybody, and only add to the screens? Or how they leave players like Steve Stamkos unattended? Or how they make line changes before chipping the puck in the other end, resulting in turnovers and odd-man rushes? How our forwards and D-men don't seem to get the concept of getting the puck out of the zone when they have a chance, hoping for a breakout pass instead? How the wingers can't chip the puck past the opposing D in our end? Or how the system the Leafs use has been figured out by every other team in the league but the coaching staff doesn't adjust? How our D pinches and get no support, and they pinch when they don't need to? Reimer is the least of our worries.

Reimer was a brightspot in terms of attitude, and Carlisle seemed to work his magic in destroying his confidence. Like stating "He was just ok" was a productive comment--really what was the point of that? To inspire him? For the most part Reimer kept them in most games. And let's face it, Reims' chops aren't up having sat on the bench a great deal since January. He's a No. 2 goalie, and in that context a pretty darn good one.

 

[Diatomic]

One day, when the Leafs are a legitimate team again, no one is ever going to be look back fondly of the James Reimer years. He's like an Allan Bester. Very entertaining, often spectacular, some WTF moments and ultimately barely an NHLer.

So, 50 years from now?

 

[yakfish]

Will Reimer be considered Infamous in the future?

No...but Carlyle's management of his time here will be.

 

[hoglund]

I think the last 3 games have shown that Reimer isn't the problem. Reimer has played well for most of his career and last season's stats he was better than Price. Bernier's play the last 3 games were not bad, but the last 2 the Leafs have out shot their opponents, which shows that this year the recipe for a win is to get out shot. Bernier and Reimer have proven to be good goalies on most nights, and the real problem is poor defense.

 

[81Reasons]

And if all those shots were taken from the other teams blue line you might have a 1.000 save % too.

Save % is better than GAA, but it still not perfect because it counts all shots equally instead of taking into account the quality of the shots. As such even save % has an element of being a team stat. A team with a good D that keeps opponents to the outside should also result in a better save % for the goalie...and GAA. The same goalie could play for a team like the Leafs that routinely allows many high quality scoring opportunities and have a worse save %.

Another factor is that a goalie can influence how many shots he faces. A goalie who plays his angles well, has good controlled mobility, is adept at playing the puck and has excellent rebound control will face fewer shots, but the shots he does face may be tougher because they are more likely to be passing plays to put the goalie out of position. A goalie who plays deep, is not a good puck handler, and gives up a lot of rebounds will tend to face more shots, but more will be easy shots because the shooter sees more net, or is actually going for a rebound.

I really think many people place too much emphasis on stats in evaluating goaltenders. It is part of the picture for sure, and an important part, but it is more complex than that, and to really evaluate a goalie one has to watch them play.

Did you read this before you hit submit?

 

[theTTC]

No, but famous. I'll remember him for getting us into the playoffs last year then giving us a chance against the Bruins, almost singlehandedly taking it to seven games.

Then I'll remember current Leaf management for saying thats not good enough and gutting Reimer's confidence by parachuting in someone else as immediate de facto #1 without having played a game for us.

And guessing where the thinking behind this thread's topic came from, I'll say to you Bernier will be remembered for losing X in a row and counting right now to help us miss the playoffs in perhaps the most infamous meltdown ever. No, its not his fault, but he is not a saviour.

 

[kcorscadden]

Is Reimer really the issue or is the team just plain crap?

Here are the facts as I know them:

- We are on an 8 game losing streak, playoffs are pretty much gone.
- Bernier has been back for 2 games now and hasn't fared much better than Reimer, why?
- Reimer was publicly thrown under the bus by Carlye (because publicly criticizing an athlete has worked so well in the past, right?)

Having said that, is this slump really Reimer's fault, I am not so sure. Sure he stunk in those 6 games he played in during this slump, but now that Bernier is back, one would assume that this slump would have been over, right? So why are we still losing?

Is it possible that maybe this team just plain sucks and have been playing above average all season and is finally coming back down to earth and settling where they belong? Is it possible that all the statistics that have worked against them all season long is final starting to turn the tide against them?

This team doesn't seem to have the gonads to show up when it matters most. You had Game 7 of last yr where they had that series all wrapped up in a bow, just to let it go and now you have this slump that will have them miss the playoffs yet again. Sure lets blame Reimer for this slump, not the players that play in front of him for this slump.

Reimer definitely hasn't been that good this season, but this slump isn't all on him. If he is gone in the off-season, I for one will be sad to see him go as his wife is hot

 

[marquee]

Reimer fan club back at full strength.

Stood on his head in the post season? Boston had a high tally of shots because they fired from all angles. They didnt have thr smount of scoring chances you would like to think.

Still a goalie who had proved nothing in the league. Has yet to carry a team over a full year. And yes he was apart of that collapse. Its insane how months later there is this new narrative...reimer carrying the team to game 7??

So you guys consider his collapse an outlier but he gets for his teammates work? I see where yall agendas are.

Reimers piss poor play has lead to bernier being rusher back from injury. Those 6 straight loses made it so we cant lose a single game.