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If the Calgary Flames are going to have a chance at getting back into the playoffs next season they're going to need good goaltending.
Everyone on the Flames' roster proved to be inept of providing that in 2015-16 and, as such, finding a starting goaltender is at or near the top of GM Brad Treliving's off-season to-do list.
While the common line of thought is that the Flames will eventually end up prying Frederik Andersen from the Anaheim Ducks via trade, the Flames may have a better option sitting in front of them.
That option is James Reimer.
The perception of Reimer is that he's not capable of being a No. 1 goaltender at the NHL level but, despite playing behind a horrible Maple Leafs team for years, the numbers suggest that's not the case.
Since the beginning of the 2012-13 season Reimer owns a .926 save percentage at 5 v 5. That's good for 20th among 43 eligible goaltenders (minimum 4,000 minutes) and ranks him ahead of big names such as Jonathan Quick, Pekka Rinne, Semyon Varlamov and, yes, Frederik Andersen in that span.
I know 20th may not sound spectacular but Cory Schneider and Braden Holtby have posted a .930SV% in that span so, as hard as it is to believe, Reimer hasn't been too far off those guys at 5 v 5.
Considering how horrific defensively the Maple Leafs were for three of those four years it's amazing that Reimer has kept such company.
There's no guarantee he'll outplay Andersen, for example, moving forward but let me ask you this: would you rather trade valuable assets for Andersen or simply spend money on Reimer if the quality of goaltending is similar? Give me the latter.
It's also worth noting that Jon Gillies, who is very promising, isn't too, too far away so it's not as if the Flames need a solution for the next 10 years.
That's why, all things considered, the Flames would probably be best off keeping their assets and signing James Reimer.
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