A goalie situation that make teams around the league jealous between two great goalies, who are fighting for the No. 1 spot is expected to continue throughout preseason and carry into the regular season. Two goalies who can get something done. Hiller, the guy who shined and took over Giguere's job within the regular season and into the playoffs versus the Sharks and the Red Wings helping upset the Sharks in Game 6 and taking the then defending Stanley Cup Champions all the way to Game 7. Finally, we have a legitimate rivalry with the Sharks. Saying if you're the type of person to go off the playoff way. Rather than just being rivals because it's the whole Southern California vs. Northern California competition. The Playoffs between the Ducks and Sharks definitely helped California hockey.
Coach Randy Carlyle doesn't see a clear path to see what goalie he wants to go with:
“I think it’s always going to carry (over), until somebody clearly distinguishes themselves over the other,” Carlyle said (Orange County Register. Curtis Zupke)
The Ducks probably have one of the best goalie tandems in the league. If you're a person to go off statistics here is the stats within the ice time played: (Stats from Zupke's article http://ducks.freedomblogging.com/2009/09/22/hiller-vs-giguere-likely-to-go-on/19183/ )
Giguere has a 2.67 goals-against average and .902 save percentage in 90 minutes of action. Hiller has a 2.70 GAA and .909 save percentage in 89 minutes.
Giguere and Hiller who are very supportive over one another. Showed it in Training Camp. As Giguere was on one side of the ice and Hiller on the other. Teammates had a shootout type drill and scrimmages. Each time Giguere or Hiller made a save in support they'd (Giguere/Hiller) enthusiastically hit their sticks against the ice. The obvious chemistry on and off the ice shows for the goaltenders and most likely makes it a lot more comfortable. As goalies, they're going to get along for the most part being on the same team they're going to get along. As people say "Goalies are a whole different breed," well they probably are. Hockey players, in my opinion are a whole different breed. In the United States especially on the West Coast the players and/or fans are a different breed.
Of course, not all goalies get along at all times. Irritating one another during game time there's goalie fights; now that goalies have tougher rules enforced on them the occasions are rare, which compared to the past has calmed goalies aggressive wise . After the lockout they can't go out and play the puck they have a "trapezoid" behind the net in which they're allowed to handle the puck from New Jersey Devils' Martin Brodeur found that this rule was mainly targeted at him. Since he handles the puck so fluently and he did/does it often in games.
Both Hiller and Giguere have also handled the puck. Pete Peeters, the Ducks newest goalie coach after Francois Allaire left to go to Toronto and with Burke (The Toronto Ducks) after he served the Ducks for 13 years. Allaire also worked with Hiller since he was 16 years old. Has also worked on puck handling drills.
Pete Peeters seems to be the right choice for both Giguere and Hiller, a good replacement for Allaire.
We have the net covered well for the next 10 years with our goalie prospects and the goalies who serving right now.
The Ducks make teams jealous with their ongoing goalie issue. Many teams wish they had TWO goalies who delivered like this.
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