2009
We’re getting very close to the first official puck drop of the season and it’s time to start getting into gear. Literally.
The Anaheim Ducks are looking solid after making a few highly publicized signings/trades/moves this off-season, and I have a strong feeling that fans are going to be in for a treat during this 2009-2010 season.
The NHL.com website is covering some major questions surrounding each team and, of course, it has found the ONE looming question mark hanging over the Ducks heads going into training camp.
Goal tending.
This could potentially be an awful subject. There are plenty of teams who have that same question mark, but with a different question. The Ducks are in the fortunate position of wondering which guy to make number one. Who to put on the ice come October 3rd? Do you go with the guy who’s got the Stanley Cup ring and a Conn Smythe Trophy? Or the man who, for all purposes, was the major reason for getting the Ducks past the President’s Trophy winning San Jose Sharks and to a game 7 against the Defending Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings this past season. Do you bench the up and coming hot glove Jonas Hiller? Or do you put the $6 million JS Giguere on the trading block?
It’s a question so many fans have been asking one another throughout the post season, and it’s one that will be answered soon enough.
So, who’s between your posts?
GO DUCKS!!!
I’m on record already saying that it should be Jonas Hiller’s time to shine… but sometihng to think about. I’m really curious to see how Giguere will respond this season now that he’s almost a year removed from the passing of his father. We all know that playing goaltender in the NHL is as mental as it is physical, so its safe to assume that the things going on his personal life adversely effected his play on the ice.
His first 5 starts or so should let Ducks fans know what they have. Do they have the $6 million goaltender that led them to two separate Finals appearences? Or do they have a $6 million back-up, whose contract will be a pain in the ass to move?
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I think they will start Giguere at least to start off the season. He made it clear in his post- season interview that he would not accept #2, so there must have been some promise to him to start him or I doubt he would be here. That might be too simple a reason, but it’s my hunch at least.
I believe Giguere will become the goalie he used to be this season. Nothing against Hiller, I contemplated renaming my only son “Hiller Broughton” during the playoffs I was so appreciative of the guy, it’s just Giguere’s time again. In my opinion.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out. It’s hard for me to comment on this without any bias, since Giguere is almost entirely responsible for me becoming a Ducks fan to begin with (see epic 2003 playoff performance). But I will say this–I believe as it stands today it is Giguere’s job to lose. I think they will give him one more chance, after a summer of being able to get away from the game and some time to clear his head. If this were not the case, I believe he would already be on another team. Other things to consider as time goes on is that at the end of the season, Giguere will have 1 more year left on his contract, but Hiller becomes a UFA. Hiller deserves the chance to be #1 goalie for someone–the guy is a beast. But I would really love to see Giguere back playing the way we know he can play. We will see who is between the pipes for Game 1.