[Rumour] Hiller receives offer to play in Switzerland next season

[AcGold]

Good dude. Now he didn't put up good numbers, but, he did have several health issues over the years. He wore the Flaming C with pride, always spoke well for the team, never lost his cool and was an all around professional.

Plus I'm kind of glad he was here to expose our weaknesses like he did, it will make us stronger for it. Well we already are, when the team had to compete with a goalie that's a 2b they really needed to learn to use energy efficiently while making better decisions. The old days with Kipper the team would hang him out to dry all the time and he made very tough saves regularly.

[shermanator]

Honestly, good for Hiller. There's no way he's going to play in the NHL next year. He's made $30 million in the NHL, and if the rumour is true gets to play hockey much closer to home in this beauty:

[fanman]

Hiller was a big part of the Flames making the playoffs last year and as a fan I`m grateful for that. It was a fun ride and something that the team and it`s fans needed.

However, for whatever reasons his game really took a dive this season. Don`t know if it was coaching, age catching up to him or maybe psychological reasons. He`s just not an NHL starter anymore. He does seem like a good guy, teammate and pro, and he represented the flaming C well with his interviews and interactions with the media and community. I hope he ends up with a good gig, whether in Switzerland or elsewhere and the Flames can move on and find someone to stabilize the net for them.

[t0rrent98]

He should take the offer. Hopefully it helps him regain some confidence and one day be back in the NHL if he doesn't get a contract from any other team next season.

[Calgary4LIfe]

If I was Hiller, I would be trying to stay in the NHL as long as possible as well. I am not sure there will be any takers, however. He will at best be getting a gig as a backup, and might have to wait until late in the FA season to find a spot, if at all.

I wonder how the expansion draft will help or hinder him? On one hand, you will have GMs moving their 'almost ready' star goalie kid who is ready for an NHL gig to other teams rather than risk losing that goalie for nothing. However, there will be 4 full-time jobs (if 2 expansion teams) consisting of 2 starters and 2 backups. A team may sign Hiller after trading away their star young kid as a backup.

Feel bad for all players who hit that point in their career where it seems offers dry up overnight.

[Dion]

[Strange Brew]

Turned on the radio this afternoon and they mentioned how Hiller is not practicing very well either at this point. Sounds like he is just mailing it in now.
He was very useful last year, particularly at the start of the year. Very thankful that was only a 2 year contract.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Turned on the radio this afternoon and they mentioned how Hiller is not practicing very well either at this point. Sounds like he is just mailing it in now.
He was very useful last year, particularly at the start of the year. Very thankful that was only a 2 year contract.

Pretty hard to stay motived when you know you're not getting another contract from the Flames. Add to the fact that the team is basicly running with Ortio till seasons end.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

Originally Posted by Dion

Pretty hard to stay motived when you know you're not getting another contract from the Flames. Add to the fact that the team is basicly running with Ortio till seasons end.

Seems like it isn't a problem for Backstrom and he's in the same situation as Hiller. No excuse to give up but he does seem to lack the battle and competitiveness of other goalies.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Flames Draft Watcher

Seems like it isn't a problem for Backstrom and he's in the same situation as Hiller. No excuse to give up but he does seem to lack the battle and competitiveness of other goalies.

You make a good point about Backstrom. He seems a lot hungrier than Hiller. You hear it in his interviews and how his practices.

I do wonder if Hiller's zero confidence in his game is an underlying factor in his lack the battle and competitiveness.

[combustiblefuel]

Originally Posted by DeluxeMoustache

Good question.

Maybe Sigalet is not the right goalie coach. There are elements of his style which result in fundamental exposures and it does not appear that these have been addressed over the course of the year.

Then what is his excuse to losing his job to 2 younger goalies in Anihiem?? Sigalet was not the coach there.


Ramo and Ortio both have improved und Sigalet each year now. Slow starts for the 2 but then again the wgole team played like crap at the start.

[Geeoff]

Reto Berra is better than Hiller at this point, so if there's a competition between them, Hiller may be left without a team.

[icecube]

He deserves one last farewell run of ten games straight or so. For all he's done for us this year.

[Da_Chief]

Good riddance. One of the very worst that tended the net for the Flaming C.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Da_Chief

Good riddance. One of the very worst that tended the net for the Flaming C.

Kind of a spiteful post as based on this season yes but based on last season not even remotely close. Not sure what happened to his play this season whether it be age or whatever but he was a big part of what was a pretty fun season for fans in 2014/15 and the first time they had won a playoff round since 2004.

[GioforPM]

Happy for him if it's true. Or he could simply retire, and be satisfied with a pretty lengthy and decent career.

[DeluxeMoustache]

Originally Posted by combustiblefuel

Then what is his excuse to losing his job to 2 younger goalies in Anihiem?? Sigalet was not the coach there.


Ramo and Ortio both have improved und Sigalet each year now. Slow starts for the 2 but then again the wgole team played like crap at the start.

Mr Sigalet I presume?

First point irrelevant. So what if he lost his job in Anaheim. I wasn't comparing him to other goalies, I was noting that he does not seem to be fixing problems that showed up in his game under the same coach earlier this year.

Second point very debatable. I could state just as easily that both guys have not improved under Sigalet.

[Split98]

Best goalie not in the NHL