ANAHEIM, United States – Lush meadows, snow-capped mountains and elderly herders in folkloric costumes who make a state secret out of their cheese. That’s the stereotype of the rural Appenzell region as presented by the local cheese dairy in TV spots.
It’s miles and miles away from Jonas Hiller’s new home in Newport Beach, California, where the Swiss goalkeeper lives while playing for the Anaheim Ducks.
“I don’t see my family and friends from Switzerland so often and Christmas without snow is still weird for me, but otherwise I really like it in California,” Hiller said.
Hiller, who will celebrate his 28th birthday on Friday, has every reason to be happy. Playing his third season for the Ducks, Hiller is the starter and will play his first Olympics soon.
Switzerland’s 2006 Olympic heroes in the net, David Aebischer and Martin Gerber, won’t be in Vancouver, but Hiller’s career is just as promising.
While Aebischer’s career went downhill after the Turin Olympics – he plays in Switzerland for eighth-ranked Lugano. Martin Gerber is sidelined after suffering a severe neck injury in December in the Russian KHL.
While the two netminders are the Swiss natives with the most NHL experience, Hiller is on the way to outplay the duo and will be Switzerland’s number one in Vancouver.
Hiller surpassed other famous goalkeepers. In his first season with Anaheim he played so well that Russian backup goalie Ilya Bryzgalov, another Olympian, was placed on waivers and claimed by Phoenix. In his second season, Hiller had more games and better stats than former Playoff MVP Jean-Sébastien Gigučre. This season, he received more than double the ice time as Gigučre, forcing the management to a trade that brought Finnish netminder Vesa Toskala and winger Jason Blake to Anaheim, and Gigučre to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Hiller ranks tenth in save percentage among the league’s starting goalies. He’s at 91.9% with 24 wins and 16 losses.
After a bad start to the season for the team, Hiller is on the way to lead the team into the playoffs. Since mid-December, Hiller has a 17-7 record.
Hiller was also successful off the ice. On January 30, he signed a new $18-million, four-year contract that will make him the second best-paid Swiss athlete behind tennis idol Roger Federer and before New York Islanders defenceman Mark Streit.
“It sounds so unreal because I will never be close to Roger, he’s kind of an idol for me. It’s of course a good feeling to be categorized with those guys,” Hiller said. “Mark Streit has a similar salary and it’s good that Swiss players can show that they can fulfil a big role in a team. But mostly I’m happy to stay in Anaheim for four more years and to feel the faith from the board and management.
“I can really not complain at the moment. I’m happy about the contract and that I can justify it on the ice,” Hiller said following a 4-1 victory against Detroit with one more first-star election. Pavel Datsyuk’s goal ended his record shutout streak of 155:03 minutes in that game.
The Gigučre trade that made Hiller the clear number one seems to make the Swiss even better. “The mental aspect and how he feels is important for a goalkeeper,” Hiller said. “Of course you feel better if the coach and the team stand behind you, even when you have an unsuccessful evening. It gives you self-confidence. We have now pretty important games and need the best performance of everybody. Every game is like a playoff game now. We have shown that we can be one of the best teams in the league and that we deserve to make the playoffs.”
Similar to his fellow countrymen Gerber or Streit, Hiller wasn’t on the radar of NHL scouts as a teenager. He didn’t play in the World Juniors for the Swiss, but surged in his twenties.
After several years as a backup with HC Davos, he had his first full season in the top Swiss league at 21 when he was loaned to Lausanne for a year. The year after, he went back to become Davos’ starter, and led the club to championships in his first and third years. 2007 was also the year he played his first of two World Championships, and when he was signed by Anaheim.
One attribute he brings from his native Appenzell region is his coolness and down-to-earth attitude. Despite the millions, he remains the same guy, which is also one reason he is a fan favourite in Anaheim.
“I’m here because I’ve never been satisfied,” Hiller said. “It’s always been like that, that I want to become better every time. I wasn’t happy enough with what I was and where I was. To stay realistic, to see that you’re not on the top of the ladder yet and have more steps to go is important if you want to have success in the long run.”
“Although there are some important games before the Olympics, I’m really looking forward to play with the Swiss national team in Vancouver,” Hiller said. “I’ve always dreamt to play in the Olympic Winter Games and to have the Olympics in Vancouver is something special for hockey.”
About his feeling where the Swiss will finish he said: “I hope we can prove the steps forward Swiss hockey has made in the last few years and that we can defeat big nations, hopefully also in the quarterfinals. We saw that it’s possible at the Olympics, or at the recent World Juniors, but we need a perfect game and some fortune, and that doesn’t work out every night.”
Hiller also knows that the team depends on him as the Swiss were under fire against the NHL-starred teams four years ago.
“If a goalkeeper and the defence play well, you can also win games without scoring many goals,” Hiller explained. “I know the pressure I’m carrying, but I’m looking forward to the challenge of facing the best players in the world. If we don’t believe that we can go out on the ice every evening and win the game, we don’t have to go to Vancouver. It’s my goal to show a great effort not only in the preliminary round but also in the quarterfinals and we have enough experienced and determined players for that.”
Hiller played in the two quarterfinals of the Swiss since Turin in the 2007 and 2008 World Championships. In 2007 in Moscow, he had 39 saves when the Swiss lost 5-1 to Canada. 2008 in Quebec City he replaced Gerber midway through the game in a 6-0 hammering and deflected 15 of 16 shots.
Now he feels that the next step is ready to be climbed.
Notebook:
- Ralph Krueger, who is in his 13th season as Switzerland’s national team coach, announced he will step down after the 2010 Olympics. Sean Simpson will take over for the 2010 IIHF World Championship. Originally it was announced that Krueger would be replaced by Simpson in the off-season.
- Two players must be replaced on the Swiss Olympic roster. Goalkeeper Martin Gerber hasn’t recovered from his neck injury he suffered in a collision during a game in Russia. Defenceman Roman Josi hasn’t recovered from a broken finger during the World Juniors. Gerber has been replaced by Ronnie Rüeger, who will be the emergency goalkeeper. Josi’s replacement has not been named yet.
- The Swiss will hold a pre-Olympic camp in Winnipeg with two exhibition games against Belarus. NHL players Hiller and Streit will join the team in Vancouver. Yannick Weber, who was sent from Montreal to Hamilton (AHL) on Saturday, will also participate in the Winnipeg camp.
- Switzerland has named reserve players for the camp in Winnipeg with defencemen Philippe Furrer (SC Bern), John Gobbi (Geneva-Servette), Patrick von Gunten (Kloten Flyers), and forwards Romano Lemm (HC Lugano) and Paul Savary (Geneva-Servette). Click here for the 23-man rosters of all teams.
MARTIN MERK
Back
