Former Red Wings goaltender has a chance to become the No. 1 in Anaheim

With John Gibson shelved in Anaheim for at least a short while, former Detroit Red Wings goaltender went from being the No. 3 and organizational depth in Buffalo to the projected No. 2 netminder in Anaheim.

That won’t likely be the case when Gibson returns, but it doesn’t mean James Reimer won’t eventually work his way into contention to be the No. 1 goaltender in Southern California. For now, Reimer will battle with Lukas Dostal, the projected No. 1, and he has hordes of experience to lean on, while Dostal has seen action in just 67 career games. 

But with the Ducks being such a young team, this is Dostal’s job to lose, as the 24-year-old is currently pegged in as the Goaltender of the Future. With Gibson slated to miss up to six weeks, Reimer has more than enough time to prove he can be ‘the guy’ in the crease until the Ducks No. 1 netminder returns. And it would only take a few poor performances from the youngster in Dostal for Reimer to get a longer look.

Will a former Red Wings netminder see ample time in Anaheim?

Something to remember is that the Ducks aren’t slated to go far this season, so it’s okay if Lukas Dostal struggles some. Last season, that was the case, as Dostal finished the 2023-24 campaign with a 14-23-3 record, a 0.902 save percentage, a 3.33 GAA, and one shutout. 

Not bad numbers, considering how poorly the Ducks played, and Dostal performed well enough to be considered more of a 1B than a No. 2 netminder. That said, while it’s always possible Reimer could step in and take over the pure No. 1 job as the Ducks goalie, it doesn’t look like that will be the case, barring ultra-poor play or an injury to Dostal. 

The likeliest scenario will see Reimer factoring in as a No. 2 or a 1B until Gibson returns, and from there, he’ll provide a veteran presence as a No. 3 netminder. Calle Clang is also an option, but the 22-year-old would fare far better with more time in the AHL, considering his relative inexperience playing the North American game. 

Overall, it’s good to see Reimer getting another chance to play in the NHL after his would-be 2024-25 team, the Sabres, waived him in favor of Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Devon Levi, opting for more youth over experience.