After a minor injury blip on the radar that could have meant something more (but luckily did not), the Anaheim Ducks announced that they activated franchise goalie Jonas Hiller from the injured reserve. The team shipped Timo Pielmeier back to the ECHL after having him sit on the bench while Curtis McElhinney received some rare starts in Hiller’s absence.
Hiller will probably dress for the Ducks tonight, but Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register believes that McElhinney will get the start against his former team, the Calgary Flames.
The minor injury might be a red flag to Anaheim brass that Hiller’s workload has been a bit excessive. If there’s one roster “luxury” that is becoming relatively easy-to-come-by this season, it’s a solid backup. The team made a nice low-risk move to sign Ray Emery, but they need to make sure that they are comfortable with their goalie rotation soon (preferably before the trade deadline). After all, Anaheim fans would hate to see the Ducks’ scrappy season fall apart if Hiller wears down and the club has no one else to turn to.