Anaheim's Goalie Situation

With the Ducks being in 15th place just one point behind a struggling Minnesota Wild team after they lost in the shootout to the struggling Carolina Hurricanes. The Ducks struggle to find themselves, a falling team picks of their image like a sniper picking off his victims. While the true fans hold on for dear life, some how shelter themselves from the threat but yet still have hope on winning. While frustrations fume between every fan, here's what players coming to Anaheim learn quickly: The fans are laid back but at the same time they're harsh. They also learn, California likes winning as with everyone but California does have a "strong" following in sports by a winning team. While the Dodgers and Angels were blown out of the water in a couple playoff games. People were looking for the Ducks (or Kings which ever you're a fan of, really there are people who like the Kings but not he Ducks but like the Angels and visa versa) to win. The Ducks continued to struggle the frustration with California baseball getting so far, yet so close to a World Series Ducks fans clamored to the Ducks looking for wins, looking for this team to ease their pain of a loss from baseball. They got that but then it started all going hill

Here's an issue Anaheim faces: Struggling goaltenders, the fight for the No 1 spot, frustrated goalies and what about the defense?

One of the most notable and most crushing that happened during the off-season is goalie coach Francois Allaire's contract ending, he moved to Toronto after he served thirteen years in Anahiem: Allaire who has worked with J.S. Giguere and worked with Jonas Hiller. Hiller who chose the Ducks over any other team due to the fact Allaire was here in Anaheim. Thanks to San Jose Sharks' Joe Thornton during the lock-out played in Switzerland and then introduced Hiller ot the NHL. Thornton was part of the Boston Bruins then. In all regards, losing Allaire was a huge blow to the head for Anaheim.

The Ducks lost Francois Beauchmin in free agency to the Toronto Maple Leafs, GM Bob Murray traded the 6'6 and a 214lb Chris Pronger to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for draft picks, former Duck Joffrey Lupul and young defenseman sensation Luca Sbisa on July 1, 2009 at the NHL entry draft. This may be one of the most ironic trades in Ducks history. In 2006, Lupul was traded to Edmonton, where he had an off year for Chris Pronger who left in a snow storm among media and fans. A situation which Pronger is lightly humored at now. Chris Pronger in 2007 helped bring the first Stanley Cup to California and on the West Coast. Lupul spent one year with Edmonton before he was traded to Philadelphia where he spent two years then was traded again back to Anaheim who drafted him in 2002.

Here's the goalie situation, our goalies have more losses than they do wins. J.S. Giguere and Jonas Hiller both with a cringing save percentage (SV%) and goals against average (GAA). Hiller allowing six goals in the game against the red hot and big rival Detroit Red Wings has drastically raised his GAA and save percentage. Hiller current record is 6-7-1 with a .910 SV% and a 3.03GAA. The night before, the Ducks played the Columbus Blue Jackets where they failed on all occasions on the power play including a 5 on 3 man advantage in overtime. J.S. Giguere started the game and allowed two goals with Garon for the Jackets who started for Columbus due to a struggling 2009 Calder Trophy winner Steve Mason. The Ducks failed to score to put themselves ahead and win the game, instead the game went into shootout with Kristan Huseslsis and Rick Nash scoring and none of the Ducks scoring in the shootout. The Ducks would get a point but continue to fall in the standings a game which J.S. Giguere deserved to win. Giguere's record is 0-2-2 with a .902 SV% and a 3.24GAA.

Both these goalies are struggling to show themselves, specifically a goalie, their situation is while struggling they have more to prove to themselves than they do with anyone else. Of course, they have to prove something to their fans and their team but what if their team isn't playing well in front of them? Lacks scoring and defense, but in all reality the talent is there and they're just not showing it. This very much so brings in the Ducks as mentioned before the Ducks lost some great defenseman. The Ducks traded away for second line scoring which in the summer brought former captain and (Montreal) Canadien Saku Koivu, a fellow countryman and very good friend of Teemu Selanne.

As for needing to prove to themselves more than anything else here is what Hiller has set himself up to be: Hiller shined in the light in relief for J.S. Giguere who had personal issues and with the tragic death of his father gave Hiller the opportunity to show himself and he did. In the Stanley Cup playoffs Hiller went to play spectacular and help upset the President Trophy San Jose Sharks then helped take the (then) Stanley Cup defending Champions to Game 7. Hiller quickly grew poise that among Ducks and NHL fans and the media; Hiller has himself in a situation where he must prove that last season wasn't just a one hit wonder. As of now, the goalie situation seems to be burning a hole in itself. Giguere, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2003 one of the very few players to win the trophy on a losing team and in 2007 backstopped the Ducks along with Illya Bryzglov to win the Stanley Cup. Giguere is the winningest goalie in Ducks history. He too has more to prove himself. In all truth just about every team salivated over Anaheim's goalie situation: Any team would love to have goalies like both Hiller and Giguere, who were the big hype of two No.1 goalies.

Now, if the Ducks can shore up and shore up the defense the best defenseman is James Wisniewski and of course you cannot deny Scott Niedermayer; who has noticeably helped defenseman Brendan Mikkelson. If the entire team does better both Giguere and Hiller's stats will be less gut wrenching, we know this team is capable of winning we know our goalies are capable of doing better. We all want to see this and hopefully we see this sooner than later.