Absolute disaster for James Reimer in his Rangers debut

James Reimer has enjoyed a long NHL career, but his debut with the New York Rangers is one he will desperately want to forget. The veteran goaltender got off to a nightmare start this evening, surrendering goals on each of his first two shots faced before his night came to an early end.

Reimer allowed three goals on just nine shots during the opening period, posting an ugly .667 save percentage and a 9.00 goals-against average before being replaced by Dylan Garand to begin the second period. For a goaltender hoping to make a positive first impression with his new team, it was about as rough a start as anyone could imagine.

For a player with more than 500 NHL games under his belt, this was a particularly brutal way to begin a new chapter. Reimer wasn't brought to New York to become the team's savior overnight, but the Rangers certainly hoped his experience would provide some stability during a difficult stretch between the pipes.

The 38-year-old was signed to a one-year contract after impressing the organization with the Hartford Wolf Pack, the Rangers' AHL affiliate. Reimer recorded a 35-save shutout in his Hartford debut, seemingly making a strong case for an NHL opportunity. Unfortunately, that encouraging performance was followed by a complete reversal of fortune in his first appearance at Madison Square Garden.

Reimer's NHL journey has taken him through several organizations, including the Toronto Maple Leafs, San Jose Sharks, Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, Detroit Red Wings, Anaheim Ducks and Ottawa Senators. Originally selected by Toronto in the fourth round of the 2006 NHL Draft, he has built a reputation as a well-traveled veteran capable of providing useful depth and making timely saves.

His career numbers are respectable, too. Entering this latest chapter, Reimer had accumulated 232 wins, 32 shutouts and a .909 save percentage across 539 NHL games.

However, the Rangers need more than career statistics right now. With Igor Shesterkin sidelined for the season and Joonas Korpisalo also unavailable, New York desperately needs reliable goaltending to remain competitive. The organization signed Reimer partly to ease the burden on rookie Dylan Garand, who had started seven consecutive games before Monday's matchup.

Instead, Reimer's disastrous debut forced the Rangers to turn back to Garand after just 20 minutes.

Of course, one terrible period doesn't erase a career spanning nearly two decades. Even experienced goaltenders can have nights when nothing goes right, and Reimer deserves an opportunity to bounce back. But his first outing in a Rangers uniform certainly wasn't the reassuring performance the organization had hoped for.

The Rangers brought Reimer in to give Garand some much-needed rest and provide insurance while their regular goaltenders recover. After this opening-period meltdown, however, the biggest question is whether the veteran can quickly put this performance behind him and prove he still has something left to offer at the NHL level.

For Reimer, the comeback story will have to wait. His Rangers career has officially begun, but Monday night was a debut he'd probably prefer everyone to forget.