Have the Toronto Maple Leafs finally resolved their goaltending woes? The team added Jonathan Bernier this summer to compete with current incumbent James Reimer.
Reimer had a stellar season for the Maple Leafs and guided them to their first playoff appearance since 2004. Reimer put up a 2.46 goals against average and .924 save percentage in 2012-13 for Toronto and won three games against the Boston Bruins in the seven game playoff series.
The netminder noted that he is ready to compete for the top spot on the team.
"You look back through the years and you face stiff competition throughout your career growing up. There are a lot of goalies going for one spot," Reimer said, according to NHL.com. "This year with [Bernier] and some of the other goalies, it's going to be a tough competition and you're going to have to be your best right at the start. It will make for a good camp and hopefully a good year."
"I like to think that I was the guy that was here. That's the position I want to keep. Bernier is a good goalie and it's going to be a good battle," Reimer added. "I'm sure people will talk about certain things and who is where. In my mind, I like to think I was the guy that brought them to the playoffs last year and hopefully can be the guy who brings the Cup here this year."
Bernier has never carried the mantle of being a starting netminder. He was expected to be the franchise goalie in Los Angeles but lost the competition to Jonathan Quick when Quick led Los Angeles to a Stanley Cup championship victory in 2011-12.