Reimer thriving under Panthers' Rowe
It was a curious move when the Florida Panthers signed James Reimer.
After all, veteran starter Roberto Luongo was already locked up until 2022, so bringing in Reimer on a five-year, $17-million deal looked like an overreach for a backup.
But thankfully, they made it.
Reimer has been key to a resurgent season in Sunrise, one where Florida now finds itself a single point out of the playoff picture as the season enters its stretch drive.
Coming out of the All-Star break, the Panthers have won five of six, with Reimer responsible for three of those victories.
On Friday, he turned aside 35 shots and captured his fourth straight win in a 4-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Two nights earlier, after Luongo left with an injury, Reimer came into an overtime contest against the San Jose Sharks and held his own as the Panthers clawed to victory.
In all, Reimer has posted an 11-6-4 showing on the season. He's also put up a solid goals-against average and save percentage, outperforming Luongo in nearly every major category:
| Goalie | Starts | Record (Pt%) | GAA | SV% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reimer | 21 | 11-6-4 (.619) | 2.48 | .918 |
| Luongo | 35 | 15-14-6 (.514) | 2.71 | .914 |
Reimer's results are even better since the change behind the bench, when general manager Tom Rowe took hold of the coaching duties following a loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Nov. 27. Under Rowe's tutelage, Reimer has been a star pupil, turning around his season under his new coach:
| Date Range | Starts | Record (Pt%) | GAA | SV% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before Nov. 27 | 8 | 3-4-1 (.438) | 3.05 | .896 |
| After Nov. 27 | 13 | 8-2-3 (.731) | 2.12 | .931 |
It's that type of play that has the Panthers back in the thick of the playoff race, with the possibility of qualifying for the postseason in back-to-back campaigns, a feat that the franchise has pulled off just once since popping up in South Florida over two decades ago.
Relying on Reimer, the Panthers may just have a chance.