Could the Canadiens Claim Former Maple Leafs Goaltender?

For the second day in a row, there's a NHL ready goaltender on waivers. Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes didn't bite on Kaapo Kahkonen who was reclaimed by the Winnipeg Jets after the Colorado Avalanche poached him from there on October 11.

Yesterday afternoon, though, the Anaheim Ducks put veteran netminder James Reimer on waivers. The 36-year-old veteran is on a one-year expiring deal and has played in 503 NHL games.

Granted, he hasn't looked great in the two games he played this season, losing both while posting a 4.50 goals-against average and a .864 save percentage. Over the course of his career, he has a 215-179-63 record, a 2.89 GAA, and a .910 SP.

Last season, he played 25 games with the Detroit Red Wings, keeping a 3.11 GAA and a .904 SP. While those are not numbers to write home about, given the Canadiens' current predicament, it may just be an interesting avenue to consider.

Of course, Hughes could also contact the Laval Rocket and call up either Connor Hughes or Jakub Dobes if he considers it time to shake things up a little. Technically speaking, he wouldn't even have to waive Primeau to introduce another goaltender to the mix since the Canadiens only have 22 players on their roster right now, meaning there is still one spot available.

Related: Canadiens Survive Goaltending Troubles To Finally Get A win

During training camp, Dobes was pretty impressive to watch. In five games with the Rocket so far this season, he has a 4-1 record, a 2.42 GAA, and a .908 SP. This is his second season in the AHL, and he's on pace for significant improvement. However, he did sustain a lower-body injury and just returned to play this past weekend.

Hughes (the Laval goaltender, not the Montreal GM) has an even more impressive record so far this season. This is the 28-year-old London, Ontario native's first season in the AHL, as he went to play overseas back in 2017-18 after going undrafted. In six games this season, he has a 5-1 record with a 1.94 GAA and a .931 GAA.

The question is, is Hughes (the GM) ready to pluck a goaltender from the farm team while Pascal Vincent's men are on such a hot streak? While the main purpose of the farm team is to help the NHL team, right now, the young Rocket lineup is enjoying tremendous success, and it is no doubt good for their confidence to do so.

Should one of the two goaltenders be called up, they might find the NHL game is much faster than the AHL caliber. Dobes is still young and might not be ready to make the jump, while Hughes is older but has less AHL experience than Dobes. Since leaving North America, he has played with numerous different teams in Swiss leagues.

Related: Canadiens: Goaltending Help From The Waiver Wire?

Claiming Reimer wouldn't mess with the good thing Vincent has going in Laval and would be risk-free. The Canadiens are set to practice at 10:30 this morning and take off for Minnesota at 2:00 PM this afternoon. If there are no "new" faces at practice, it will either mean the GM has decided to stick with his existing tandem or put in a claim for the veteran netminder. Time will tell.

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