Reimer felt he 'would stick around' with Maple Leafs

James Reimer wasn't expecting to be traded by the Toronto Maple Leafs.

"I don't think I want to get into all the details, but I had the feeling I would stick around in Toronto," the San Jose Sharks goaltender told ESPN's Pierre LeBrun on Thursday.

"I didn't get the feeling at all that I'd be going somewhere. So I was a little surprised when it happened. But at the same time, I wasn't shocked. You know the situation Toronto is in. I guess they felt they were building for the future and (wanted to) get some pieces."

The Leafs dealt Reimer to the Sharks in a four-player trade last month, two days before the deadline.

After the trade, the pending unrestricted free agent said returning to the Maple Leafs is "definitely an option."

The 28-year-old stated in January that he would like to be a Maple Leaf for his whole career, and that his heart was with Toronto, the organization that drafted him in 2006.

He didn't expect to reunite with Roman Polak or Nick Spaling, who were traded to San Jose from Toronto five days before his deal.

"It was kind of funny. I'm thinking I may never see them again, who knows. All of a sudden, a couple of days later, here we are," Reimer told LeBrun on Thursday, laughing.

The netminder has allowed only five goals in four appearances since the trade, notching a pair of shutouts.