ANAHEIM, Calif. — Last April, goalie Jonas Hiller sat at his stall in the Anaheim Ducks’ dressing room, staring into the distance and breathing heavily, the loneliest man in a crowded room.
No teammate, coach, trainer or reporter approached Hiller, not even to confirm who would start in the Ducks’ critical game against the Los Angeles Kings. His countenance and demeanor spoke a million words.
Despite the team’s success, Hiller had lost his starting job, first to Frederik Andersen, then to the rookie John Gibson for a pair of vital divisional games. As Anaheim headed into the postseason as the Western Conference’s top seed, Andersen was anointed the starter.