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Carolina Hurricanes: Storylines to Watch Heading Into Training Camp

By Joshua Ryan

RALEIGH, NC - MAY 16: Carolina Hurricanes thank their fans after a game between the Boston Bruins and the Carolina Hurricanes on May 14, 2019 at the PNC Arena in Raleigh, NC. (Photo by Greg Thompson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC - MAY 16: Carolina Hurricanes thank their fans after a game between the Boston Bruins and the Carolina Hurricanes on May 14, 2019 at the PNC Arena in Raleigh, NC. (Photo by Greg Thompson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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SUNRISE, FL – FEBRUARY 5: Goaltender James Reimer #34 of the Florida Panthers skates on the ice during introductions prior to the start of the game against the St. Louis Blues at the BB&T Center on February 5, 2019 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images)
SUNRISE, FL – FEBRUARY 5: Goaltender James Reimer #34 of the Florida Panthers skates on the ice during introductions prior to the start of the game against the St. Louis Blues at the BB&T Center on February 5, 2019 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Does James Reimer Have a Future in Carolina?

The Carolina Hurricanes acquired James Reimer this offseason after losing veteran Curtis McElhinney and boasting a pretty thin collection of viable goaltenders to back up starter Petr Mrazek. Reimer is a decent netminder and has proven he is a capable backup.

The question is not if Reimer is talented enough to be an NHL backup, the question is if he is talented enough to be the backup in Carolina. Alex Nedeljkovic is coming off a year that saw him win the AHL most outstanding goaltender award. He helped catapult the Charlotte Checkers to a Memorial Cup Championship.

Ned is the future in net for Carolina, but could Reimer fend him off for one more year, and earn the 30-35 games he’d be asked to start in 2019-2020? If Ned is as talented as many believe, where does that leave Reimer?

Carolina would do well to trade Reimer before the start of the year if training camp leaves Ned as the clear number two, and this move would allow Carolina to part with Reimer’s salary and give the 31-year-old an opportunity to play elsewhere.

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