Jonas Hiller

Jonas Hiller

Hiller with the Flames in 2014.
Born (1982-02-12) February 12, 1982
Felben-Wellhausen, CHE
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position Goaltender
Catches Right
NLA team
Former teams
EHC Biel
HC Lausanne
HC Davos
Anaheim Ducks
Calgary Flames
National team   Switzerland
NHL Draft Undrafted
Playing career 2001present

Jonas Hiller (born February 12, 1982) is a Swiss professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the EHC Biel of the National League A (NLA). He has also played for the Calgary Flames and the Anaheim Ducks, the team he began his NHL career with in 2007 after going undrafted in any NHL Entry Draft.

Playing career

While playing for HC Davos, Hiller won Switzerland's championship in 2002, 2005 and 2007, as well as the Spengler Cup in 2004 and 2006. In 2006–07, Hiller set a career-high win record with 28–16–0 in 44 games. Following the conclusion of the season, he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the NHL's Anaheim Ducks in May 2007.

Hiller with the Ducks in 2012

Hiller made his debut for the Ducks on September 30, 2007, defeating the Los Angeles Kings 4–1 in London, England. He allowed one goal on 23 shots for the win.

Then-Ducks General Manager Brian Burke quickly felt that Hiller was ready to become full-time backup to Jean-Sébastien Giguère, and as a result, placed then-backup Ilya Bryzgalov on waivers, where he was claimed by the Phoenix Coyotes. Hiller went on to record a 2.06 goals against average (GAA) and .926 save percentage in 23 games in his first NHL season, 2007–08.

Hiller recorded his first career NHL shutout in the 2008–09 season, defeating the Los Angeles Kings, 2–0. Following his strong regular season play, the Ducks named Hiller their starting goaltender for the 2009 Stanley Cup playoffs over incumbent starter Giguère. Hiller started his first career playoff game on April 16, 2009, recording a shutout over the San Jose Sharks in a 35-save performance. He and the Ducks ousted the Presidents' Trophy-winning Sharks in six games, marking only the fourth time in NHL history that the Presidents' Trophy-winning team had been eliminated in the playoffs' first round. The Ducks next matchup was the second-seeded Detroit Red Wings, a series which Detroit won in seven games. Nonetheless, many felt that it was only due to Hiller's goaltending that the Ducks were able to take the defending Stanley Cup champions to seven games.

Midway through the next season, on January 30, 2010, Hiller signed a four-year contract extension with the Ducks going through to the 2013–14 season. The next day, the Ducks traded Giguère to the Toronto Maple Leafs, cementing Hiller's status as the Ducks' starting goaltender.

During the lockout-shortened 2012–13 season, Hiller helped the Ducks place second overall in the Western Conference. During the 2013 playoffs, however, the Ducks were eliminated in a seven-game series against the Detroit Red Wings for the second time in five years.

On July 1, 2014, after his contract had expired with Anaheim, Hiller signed a two-year deal as an unrestricted free agent with the Calgary Flames at an annual average of $4.5 million per year.[1] In his first season in Calgary, 2014–15, he emerged as the Flames' starting goaltender, partaking in most of the Flames' regular season games and seven of the Flames 11 2015 playoff games. In Game 6 in the first round of the playoffs, he was pulled off for Karri Ramo after giving up two goals on three shots. Hiller started Game 1 of the second round against his former team, the Ducks, but he was pulled in favour of backup Karri Rämö. Rämö was in goal the rest of the series as the Flames lost in five games.

During the 2015-2016 season, Hiller struggled, going 9-11-1 with a 3.51 GAA. Calgary opted not to re sign Hiller or Ramo, aqquiring Goalie Brian Elliot in a trade with the Blues.

On April 19, 2016, he agreed to a three-year contract with the EHC Biel of the National League A (NLA).[2]

Vertigo-like symptoms

Hiller earned a spot in the 2011 NHL All-Star Game, held in Raleigh, North Carolina, on January 30. On February 2, after his first game returning from the All-Star weekend, Hiller felt lightheaded and was slow to react, allowing three goals on ten shots in the opening period of a 4–3 loss against the visiting San Jose Sharks. He sat out the next four games before shutting-out the Edmonton Oilers 4–0 on February 13, but the symptoms reappeared. Hiller then sat out another 15 games, making what would be his last appearance of the season during a 5–4 loss to the Nashville Predators on March 24.

The Ducks acquired veteran goaltenders Ray Emery and Dan Ellis in separate February deals, and the pair played all playoff minutes as the Ducks were eliminated in the first round by Nashville. Emery, an unrestricted free agent, eventually signed with the Chicago Blackhawks during the off-season.

In August 2011, Hiller said he was symptom-free.[3] Ellis was retained as the team's backup goaltender.

International play

Hiller with Switzerland during the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Hiller played in goal for Switzerland at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia. Switzerland finished in eighth place, losing to the United States in the Quarterfinal round. He also played goalie for Switzerland in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, where Switzerland finished in ninth place, losing to Latvia in the Qualification playoffs.

Personal life

Hiller is fluent in English, German and French. He is a butterfly style goaltender.

Awards and accomplishments

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP W L T/OT MIN GA SO GAA SV% GP W L MIN GA SO GAA SV%
2003–04 HC Lausanne NLA 13 3 7 1 709 42 1 3.55
2003–04 HC La Chaux-de-Fonds NLB 1 0 1 0 60 4 0 4.00
2004–05 HC Davos NLA 43 26 12 4 2523 94 8 2.24 15 12 3 932 34 0 2.19
2005–06 HC Davos NLA 42 22 15 5 2551 98 4 2.30 15 9 6 900 45 1 3.00
2006–07 HC Davos NLA 44 28 16 0 2656 115 3 2.60 19 12 7 1138 39 3 2.05
2007–08 Anaheim Ducks NHL 23 10 7 1 1223 42 0 2.06 .927
2007–08 Portland Pirates AHL 6 3 2 1 370 13 0 2.11 .929
2008–09 Anaheim Ducks NHL 46 23 15 1 2486 99 4 2.39 .919 13 7 6 807 30 2 2.23 .943
2009–10 Anaheim Ducks NHL 59 30 23 4 3338 152 2 2.73 .918
2010–11 Anaheim Ducks NHL 49 26 16 3 2672 114 5 2.56 .924
2011–12 Anaheim Ducks NHL 73 29 30 12 4253 182 4 2.57 .910
2012–13 Anaheim Ducks NHL 26 15 6 4 1498 59 1 2.36 .913 7 3 4 439 18 1 2.46 .917
2013–14 Anaheim Ducks NHL 50 29 13 7 2909 120 5 2.48 .911 6 2 2 219 8 0 2.19 .906
2014–15 Calgary Flames NHL 52 26 19 4 2871 113 1 2.36 .918 7 3 3 322 14 0 2.61 .919
2015–16 Calgary Flames NHL 26 9 11 1 1351 79 1 3.51 .879
NHL totals 378 188 129 36 21,249 881 22 2.49 .917 33 15 15 1787 70 3 2.35 .930

References

External links

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