James Reimer is grateful he has at least one more game left to play in his long NHL career.

The 37-year-old veteran goalie, who hasn’t played a game this season at the NHL level, signed a one-year, $850,000 contract with the Ottawa Senators for the remainder of 2025-26.

Reimer joins a struggling Sens team, who currently sits last in the Eastern Conference and are in desperate need of goaltending help with regular starter Linus Ullmark away from the team on personal leave.

“There’s a lot of times when you’re excited and you believe that something’s going to happen. Then there’s days when you’re a little down and you don’t know if maybe you’ve played your last game or had your last opportunity,” Reimer told the media on Monday after his first practice with the team. “Super thankful and grateful that this opportunity presented itself and I’m just looking forward to making the most of it and enjoying it.”

Despite not having much action this season, Reimer has kept busy after the Toronto Maple Leafs released him from his professional tryout before the start of the regular season.

Reimer has skated with the West Kelowna Warriors and Vernon Vipers of the British Columbia Hockey League. He also appeared in two games for Team Canada at the annual Spengler Cup over the holidays, posting a 2.54 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage.

The native of Morweena, Man., was between the pipes for the American Hockey League’s Belleville Senators on Sunday and allowed six goals on 29 shots.

Reimer said he feels good and is taking it “day-by-day.”

“Feeling pretty good. It’s kind of a day by day process. I’ve been staying in shape so conditioning wise I feel pretty good. Obviously going over to Europe for a bit and playing in the Spengler get some pro games and pro shooters and what not,” Reimer explained. “This last weekend down in Belleville, I’m getting some touches there. I feel like my game is coming along. Felt good on the ice today. It’s one of those things where kind of just play it day-by-day and when I’m confident that I can step in and help the team we’ll jump right in.”

Head coach Travis Green doesn’t know when Reimer will make his debut with the team.

“I’m not going to put a time on it. We’ll see from a day to day how it goes, how he feels. Petey will play a bit part in making that call,” said Green.

Leevi Merilainen is receiving a lot of the workload with Ullmark unavailable, but is struggling with a 6-10 record alongside a 3.48 goals-against average and a .866 save percentage.

Ottawa has lost four straight games and five of seven since Ullmark took his leave.

Familiar Territory

Reimer has a strong track record at Canadian Tire Centre over his 15-year NHL career.

Over 17 games at the Kanata, Ont., building, Reimer owns a 12-4-1 record with a .935 save percentage.

“I joke about the water. Maybe it’s the bed at the Brookstreet. I don’t know what it is. It’s where I played my first game. It’s special in that way,” Reimer said. “There’s something about this rink and the crowd that it just seems like it’s an earnest excitable fan base. The building – it gets loud and it’s just a fun place to play.”

Reimer has played with a number of the current Senators, including David Perron, Fabian Zetterlund and Dylan Cozens.

“You hear a lot of good things about this room over the last couple of years. Obviously I played with a couple of guys in here – DP and Z and Cozens, and even other guys that you’re friends with and know this group and the culture that this organization has right now,” Reimer said “Being able to be a part of it for three hours, it’s living up to expectations so really excited to join this group.”

The 525 game NHL veteran has also appeared for the Detroit Red Wings, San Jose Sharks, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs, who drafted him with the 99th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2006 NHL Draft.

Reimer has a 2.89 career GAA and has 225 wins in the NHL.

The 20-19-5 Senators will look turn things around on Tuesday night when they welcome the Vancouver Canucks to town.