Reimer ready for Toronto return

Kristen Shilton

TSN Toronto Maple Leafs Reporter

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Positioned in the starter’s net at Air Canada Centre on Thursday morning, Reimer deftly turned practice shots aside just as he did many times ahead of 214 career games with Toronto. But after six years as a Maple Leaf – and a decade in the organization – Reimer will get the start here for a different organization. He’s in Florida Panthers’ red now.

“The longer you’re away from anything the more you start a new chapter. For the first time, there are a lot of emotions, lot of memories,” said Reimer, who backed up Roberto Luongo when the Panthers were in town three weeks ago. “Even still, the last couple days you’re still walking around the city, remembering a lot of the good times and some good memories. This time in my life has come to an end and I’m starting a new one here.”

Reimer has played in five games this season for Florida, posting a 2-2-1 record with 2.73 goals-against average and a .905 save percentage. He signed a five-year pact with the Panthers in the off-season as a free agent, after Toronto traded him to the San Jose Sharks in February.

As he prepared to face his old team, Reimer admitted to having some inkling of where the Maple Leafs' veterans like Nazem Kadri might go looking for goals.

“I got a few ideas,” Reimer said with his usual smile. “He’s a skilled player. He’s got great hands. Hopefully I can get the best of him. You’re behind [those guys] for so many years, but at the same time, you play against them in practice all the time and inter-squad games too, you name it.”

The Maple Leafs are coming off an explosive offensive performance against the Nashville Predators, and their 6-2 record at home shows they're tough to crack in their own building. Toronto narrowly defeated Florida 3-2 on Oct. 27. Reimer wasn’t a factor then, and whether familiarity on both sides ultimately will be is still a question mark.

“I got a couple options [against Reimer],” Kadri said. “He’s played with me for a while too so I’m sure he knows a few tricks up my sleeve. I have a couple areas I know where to shoot.”

Reimer says he’s still close with some of his former teammates, even grabbing dinner with Peter Holland and Byron Froese (who’s currently playing with the Toronto Marlies) while he’s been in town. At the MasterCard Centre on Wednesday, where the Panthers practised, Reimer drew attention from a number of waiting fans thrilled to see him back in Toronto.

“Obviously [this is] a great hockey city. Any time when the crowd was into it and it was a close game, those were the fun times,” Reimer said. “Those were the exciting times you remember, the atmosphere and just being part of the rush.”

“Reims put in a lot of good games here and did everything he could for this organization,” Kadri said. “That playoff stint we had [in 2013] is always a memory I won’t forget. He was a tremendous leader for us and really did everything he could to put us in the best situation as possible. That just speaks volumes about the type of person James was and was kind to everyone. We appreciated him here.”

When the puck drops on Thursday, all friendships will be set aside. And that player who took Reimer’s old number 34 – Auston Matthews – will be looking early and often for a chance to bust out of his 10-game scoring drought.

“Matthews is an outstanding player. He can put the puck in the net, he’s got a great shot, he’s a smart player,” Reimer said. “In anyone’s career, you’re going to have ups and downs, but hopefully we make it an 11-game drought after tonight.”

Seth Griffith’s “crazy” week takes him right back to Toronto

Not even a week has passed since forward Seth Griffith was placed on waivers by the Maple Leafs, ending his month-long stint with the team that included three games with zero points. The Panthers scooped him up and slotted him into their lineup right away – Griffith tallied his first assist of the season in their tilt against Montreal on Tuesday.

Now, Griffith will play his second game against the team that gave him up.

“It’s been pretty crazy. I was just here four or five days ago,” Griffith said Thursday after morning skate. “I was just talking to some of the [Leafs] yesterday. It’s always fun playing in Toronto but I’m with the other team now.”

Having been in Boston before he arrived in Toronto, Griffith said he never really got settled in town so the physical act of moving again wasn’t too taxing. Looking back on his time as a Maple Leaf, Griffith felt he did the best he could with the opportunities he had. After being picked up on waivers from the Bruins, Griffith didn’t play for nearly two weeks, something he didn’t expect.

“It was a little weird. I think I was in the same situation [Frank] Corrado was in last year,” he said. “It was a little strange but it helped me, got me used to the systems there in the first two weeks and I was ready to go when I got the chance. I thought I played pretty well in those three games, just couldn’t capitalize on our chances [and] it just didn’t end up working out.”

With the Panthers, Griffith has felt comfortable immediately on a line with Colton Sceviour and Denis Malgin. They’re a speedy trio, not unlike some of the Maple Leafs’ lines Florida will see tonight. Griffith said Toronto’s ability to play the game so fast makes them a formidable opponent, but he’s ready to show off what they’re missing out on.  

“I think there’s always that sense of motivation,” he said. “I want to prove to Florida they made the right choice and go out there and play with a bit of an edge tonight.”

Morning skate notes

- Tyler Bozak and Auston Matthews were absent from morning skate, but coach Mike Babcock announced they will play on Thursday.

- Defenceman Connor Carrick will return to the lineup after being a healthy scratch the last two games. He said the coaching staff has communicated with him and what they want to see and it’s on him to execute.” It wasn’t anything specific. It was more just, ‘Hey remember those things we talked about? Let’s do those well.’ Play my game; don’t try to be anyone else. Those are the things that have gotten me to this point - the stick detail, being able to do all those [little] things. I’m not here because I’m 6-foot-3, 220 pounds.”

- William Nylander broke out of his nine-game scoring drought on Thursday, and is looking to keep his line hot against the Panthers. Babcock said when the rookie is clicking it’s because of what he’s doing all over the ice, not just offensively. “He competes. Real simple,” Babcock said. “The wonderful thing about our game is, if you compete every night…God touched you with his magic wand, gave you the skill set, doesn’t mean you’re going to be a star. What’s going to make you a star is your drive train. That’s what separates the good and the great.”