Senators Goalie Could Be Great Fit as Insurance Policy for NY Rangers

With a need for a backup goalie, one from the Ottawa Senators could make sense for the New York Rangers.

Jan 31, 2026; Ottawa, Ontario, CAN; View of a Ottawa Senators logo on a jersey worn by a member of the team against the New Jersey Devils during the second period at Canadian Tire Centre. / David Kirouac-Imagn Images

The New York Rangers are preparing for what will be a pivotal offseason following missing the playoffs for a second straight year. With multiple needs, how they address them will be interesting to see. 

After coming in last place in the Eastern Conference, the Rangers are going to be highly motivated to improve this summer. This is a team that had too much talent to be as bad as they were, and now they will need to have a good offseason to make some necessary improvements. 

There are a couple of notable needs for the team heading into the summer. Firstly, improving their Top 6 might not have been a public goal for the front office, but getting a scoring upgrade there makes a lot of sense for the franchise. Furthermore, on the defensive end, they will be looking to add some talent that can carry the puck out of the zone a bit better. 

Also, in the net, while Igor Shesterkin is one of the best in the business, their backup Jonathan Quick has retired, leaving a need for the position. While there will be plenty of options available for the role, promoting from within with Dylan Garand makes sense. However, getting some insurance for the young goalie does make sense. One potential cheap option that could be a good fit is James Reimer. 

Reimer Could Be a Strong Insurance Policy

Ottawa Senators goaltender James Reimer / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

For the Rangers, finding out who their backup goalie will be for next year will be one of the most important tasks for the team. Down the stretch, when it was clear they weren’t in the mix, it was a bit surprising not to see Garand get some more starts. The young goalie has been impressive when he has been in the net, and he figures to be very much in the mix for the role. 

However, due to the inexperience, it would behoove New York to have another option as well. Reimer played in 14 games for the Ottawa Senators this season, and the numbers weren’t terrible. However, at 38 years old, he likely shouldn’t be the primary backup and should instead be used as an insurance policy. 

That could make a lot of sense for the Rangers if Garand isn’t ready yet or struggles with more playing time. While the number and Reimer’s willingness for the role would be key, he makes sense as a strong fit if those two things work for him.