4 – Jonas Hiller (2008-2014)
For me, Jonas Hiller is a classic “oh what could’ve been” case. Hiller had the unfortunate duty of being the heir apparent to Ducks Goalie God J.S. Giguere. Hiller posted good numbers as the Ducks number one. He currently ranks 3rd all-time in wins, shut-outs, and SV% among Duck starters.
He was the goalie that got the honor in playing for the Ducks in the Stadium Series game against Los Angeles. Posting a shut-out against your arch-rival while playing outside in California, is a moment all Ducks fans and Hiller will always remember.
Hiller showed flashes and stretches of brilliance during his Anaheim tenure. Making acrobatic and skillful saves at times to keep at times a fledgling Ducks team afloat. If there is a knock on the Swiss goalie, it is that he was never able to elevate his teams to the next level.
Teams need a full and complete squad to win Lord Stanley’s Cup, but you also need a goalie capable of stealing games. A netminder that will stand on his head at times and give the players in front of him a shot in the arm. Hiller was never that goalie and it showed. The Ducks advanced past the first round only once during his stay.
Hiller did suffer from vertigo-like symptoms following his appearance in the 2011 All-Star game. While the illness did resolve itself, he wasn’t the same goalie after. This led to Hiller signing elsewhere in 2014 and the Ducks moved on to a new young goalie.