NHL Trade Update: Ottawa Senators sign James Reimer to a one-year contract deal until goalie Linus Ullmark returns

As Linus Ullmark is on leave from the Senators for a personal matter and was moved to a non-roster spot on Thursday, the Ottawa Senators made no further delay and signed James Reimer to a one year, one-way contract with an average annual value of $850,000. This was announced by the team announced Monday, and the deal is for the remainder of this season.

The decision came as Ottawa has struggled to make an impact this season, and the problem was further magnified in recent weeks as No. 1, due to Ullmark’s controversy. As per reports, Reimer was signed to a professional tryout by the club last week. He allowed six goals on 28 shots for the Belleville Senators in an AHL loss to Rochester on Sunday.

With the signing of James Reimer, fans have sighed a breath of relief, as Reimer will be taking charge of the goal situation of the team. Let’s take a closer look at the trade deal made by the Senators in the midst of Linus Ullmark's absence.

James Reimer signed by the Ottawa Senators to a one-year contract until goalie Linus Ullmark returns

The Ottawa Senators have signed James Reimer to a one-year contract to help strengthen the club’s goaltending situation of the club in the absence of goaltender Linus Ullmark. The club announced on January 11, 2026, that Reimer had signed a one-way contract for the remainder of the season, with an average salary of $850,000. Sources reported that the goaltender was seen for practice at Canadian Tire Centre on Monday morning, after joining the Senators.

The 37-year-old goalie played for the Buffalo Sabres and the Anaheim Ducks last season. Reimer went 10-8-2 with a 2.90 goals-against average and .901 save percentage in 22 games (19 starts) with Buffalo, and 0-2-0 with a 4.50 GAA and .864 save percentage in two starts with Anaheim.


According to the NHL, Reimer was selected in the fourth round in the 2006 NHL Draft. Reimer spent his first eight seasons in the pros with the Toronto Maple Leafs organization. After playing for the Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, San Jose Sharks, Detroit Red Wings, and Anaheim Ducks. He spent most of the 2024-25 season with the Buffalo Sabres, where he posted a record of 10-8-2 with a goals-against average of 2.90 and a save percentage of .901 in almost 22 games.

Meanwhile, the Ottawa Senators are busy dealing with the Ullmark controversy and have vehemently condemned the rumors surrounding the goaltender, which have arisen due to his prolonged absence from the team, related to personal reasons that have not been disclosed yet. The club has dismissed all the false claims related to the matter and asked people to respect his privacy during such critical times.

Also read: “Just figure this out”: Former NHL General Manager responds to Ottawa Senators’ comment related to Linus Ullmark’s controversy | NHL News - The Times of India