September 30, 2011
Posted in Alberta Edition, Major Junior
By Scott Fisher /
Chris Driedger was brought in to start between the pipes.
But the new Calgary Hitmen goaltender hasn’t been able to stop so much as one puck thus far.
A high-ankle sprain suffered this summer has put Driedger on the sidelines throughout training camp, pre-season and now the early part of the regular season.
“It’s definitely frustrating,” Driedger, acquired from the the Tri-Cities Americans, told the Calgary Sun.
“I haven’t been able to prove myself.
“It’s not fun watching and not being able to show the coaches and the guys what I can do.”
Driedger, who had a 3.50 goals-against average and a .881 save percentage in 22 games last season with the Americans, said it’s been hard watching his teammates from the stands.
Battling through the injury and the rehab is something new for the Winnipeg product.
“I’ve never had a major injury,” he said. “I might have missed a couple of games once.
“But being in the trainer’s room every day, that’s a new experience.”
The 17-year-old who recently started practicing on his — no teammates, no pucks — said an ankle injury is particularly troublesome for a puckstopper.
“It’s the worst injury for a goalie,” he said. “When you go into the butterfly, your ankle rotates and it puts stress on the injured tendons.
“So I can still feel it.”
The Hitmen, looking to rebound from a horrendous, last-place 2010/11 campaign, do have depth between the pipes.
Last year’s duo of Michael Snider and Brandon Glover are back and will carry the load until Driedger returns.
Hitmen GM Kelly Kisio said he hopes to see Driedger back in a couple weeks.
“A lot of people think he’s a very good goalie,” Kisio told the Sun. “But a high-ankle sprain is a high-ankle sprain.
“It’s tough for anyone, let alone a goalie.
“But Snider’s been real good in camp and so has Glover.”
With Snider on the roster, the Hitmen will be carrying four overagers (C Jimmy Bubnick, D Ben Wilson and C Kenton Miller are the others) to begin the season.
Once Driedger returns, the easiest move would be to trade or release Snider, killing two birds with one stone.
But Kisio said there is no immediate plan.
“We’re going to watch and see how they play,” Kisio said. “We’re not leaning one way or the other as far as which overager will be on the outs.”
HIT PARADE
After dropping their first pre-season tilt, the Hitmen won their other five tilts, including a 10-0 demolition of the defending-WHL champion Kootenay Ice in the final tun-up ... G Michael Snider had a 1.66 goals-against average and .954 save percentage as he went 2-0.
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