Leafs' Reimer high on St. Croix

Maple Leafs goalie James Reimer leaves the MTS Sportsplex after practicing with Winnipeg Jets players and local pros Friday.

IT'S only a brief guest appearance but James Reimer was in Winnipeg long enough this week to say that he's eager to start working with new Toronto Maple Leafs' goalie coach Rick St. Croix.

The Leafs made it official on Friday with the hire of St. Croix, the Winnipegger who has been the goalie consultant and coach with the AHL's Manitoba Moose and St. John's IceCaps in recent times.

"I don't know too much about him but all the things I've heard have been really good," Reimer said Friday at the MTS Iceplex, where he joined the locked-out Jets and other pros who skate and work out several times a week. "Whether it's from my agent or people who have worked for him in the past, anybody who's talked to him or knows anything about him, I've never heard anything bad.

"I think he's going to be a great addition to our team and our staff and I really look forward to working with him."

Reimer said he was around town this week visiting his parents, but expects to be here only a few more days.

"It's just temporary," the Morweena, Man., native said. "We've got a little extra time on our hands so I thought I'd come visit my folks.

"I don't get to see them too much, especially at this time of year.

"And I know Laddie (Jets captain Andrew Ladd) a little bit, so that's why I came to skate with the guys.

"The home cooking's good but I'd rather be playing, that's for sure."

Reimer said he hasn't detected any difference between Toronto and Winnipeg as far as fan sentiments go towards the sides in the labour dispute.

"I think pretty much everyone is on the same page as far as players and fans," he said. "Everybody wants the game but it's got to be a fair deal, too."

tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca

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