Jeff Simmons of SportsNet: Maple Leafs James Reimer told the Fan 590 that his rift with head coach Randy Carlyle was overblown.
“In all honesty, I’ve always defended (Carlyle). Maybe we didn’t see eye-to-eye last year,” Reimer said on Sportsnet 590 The Fan. “But that has no bearing on his ability to coach. Sometimes you don’t see eye-to-eye. I have a lot of respect for him. I think he’s a great coach. He’s won a Cup. I have no qualms at all about playing for him again.”
“I felt that the door was closed there. It felt like things were heading in a different direction,” Reimer said Monday. “Over the course of the summer, things have changed. Obviously signing the new (two-year) contract, things have taken a 180 (degree turn) from there. I’m excited to come back. It’s not a case where I wanted to leave but I thought that things were kind of done there. I’m real excited to have another opportunity and kind of a new start.
“I think we have a talented group and have what it takes to make a good run.”
Ray Petkau on Prime Time Sports … Reimer “wants to be the starter” … “happy to be a Maple Leaf” … Petkau and GM Dave Nonis did talk about seeing if there was a starting opportunity for Reimer somewhere else.