Giguere's Comments Should Lead To Easy Decision
Matt Bodenschatz | National Hockey League
Nov 10, 05:19 PM | Hype this story!
Veteran J.S. Giguere has returned from injury to find himself in an unfamiliar role as Anaheim’s backup goalie.
Now he’s voicing his concerns.
According to TSN, Giguere has given Anaheim’s management an option: play him or lose him.
“I’d rather retire than be a backup goalie,” Giguere said to the L.A. Daily News. “Something needs to happen. You get a guy like (Hiller) that’s going to be a free agent at the end of the year and myself, making the money I’m making, either I’m leaving or he’s leaving.”
Giguere has been around long enough to know that such words shouldn’t and likely won’t go over well with those who run the show in Anaheim.
But if it’s a trade he’s hoping to achieve, he’s barking up the wrong tree.
His words are not those of a team player, someone willing to sacrifice for the greater good. Instead, they are the words of a selfish ego-maniac who cares for no one but himself.
What he’s done is put Anaheim’s management in a position to choose current starter and impending free agent Jonas Hiller over him.
Here’s the problem for Giguere: he has another year left on his $6 million per year contract that sports a fancy no-trade clause.
Now that he’s endeared himself so well as a team player around the league, his option may be exactly what he mentioned: serve as a backup goalie or retire.
Comments
TheOneAndOnlySurge
Nov 10, 05:28 PM
Yeah I don’t think that it is going to come down to that. I do see him leaving Anaheim but not to be a back up. He likely will get traded as Hiller is just playing some great hockey. Not sure at this point where but someone will want him soon, the question to Anaheim will have to be is Hiller the right choice and is the price right for Giguere?
bag o' pucks
Nov 10, 06:32 PM
Sounds like Burkie’s kind of guy.
Zach Boslett
Nov 10, 06:46 PM
I hear Detroit and Carolina need goalie help…
Ivan
Nov 10, 07:17 PM
There is absolutely no chance in hell that the Ducks will trade Giguere to the Red Wings. Zero.
Moq
Nov 11, 07:26 AM
Carolina and a few other teams might be interested if it wasn’t for his $6M salary this season and the next. His attitude could be a bit too expensive as well.
SprJudd
Nov 11, 09:29 AM
Carolina won’t take him. They already brought in Manny Legace and they have Cam Ward’s contract as well. Once Ward is healthy, it’d be the same situation for Giguere as it is in Anaheim – 2 starters and 1 has to sit. I guarantee Carolina would play Ward over Giguere in a heartbeat.
I doubt Detroit will be able to get Giguere because I don’t see Anaheim trading him to a traditional Western power.
Barring injury problems with other goalies, the only team I could see being able to take on Giguere and use him as a starter (and that Anaheim would probably be willing to trade with) would be the Atlanta Thrashers. They have some cap space and could definitely afford Giguere if $2M or so was moved to Anaheim. Additionally, Lehtonen does nothing but sit on IR all the time, and acquiring Giguere could help the Thrashers fool Kovalchuk into thinking they’re seriously trying to assemble a contender.
DaBich
Nov 11, 09:49 AM
Never say never…Philly picked up Emery…everyone knows how explosive he was…is…whatever…
sonofatruckload
Nov 11, 10:32 AM
there’s no way the flyers could clear $6 mil of cap room for him, i wouldnt worry about it
DaBich
Nov 11, 11:26 AM
Son, I didn’t mean the FLyers, I meant don’t say never…cuz no one dreamed Emery would be welcome anywhere…
Moq
Nov 11, 11:59 AM
There’s a difference between a cheap troublemaker with potential upside and an expensive troublemaker with potential upside. The former can be an acceptable risk worth taking, the latter not so much.
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