Jim Hiller is sticking with the goaltending plan, and that means Sergei Bobrovsky gets the nod Tuesday against Utah.
After Monday’s practice, Hiller said the decision wasn’t a reaction to Anthony Stolarz’s recent run of strong play, but part of a bigger schedule-based approach that had already been mapped out.
“We have a plan. We look at the schedule.
It’s long. There’s rest.
There are lots of different things that go into it. It’s something we talk about, and we make a decision based on what we’ve laid out, and we just move forward.”
Hiller said the plan for Bobrovsky had been in place for a while, though he noted there is always some flexibility built in. He said the process starts in the summer, with the schedule, the goalies and the staff all part of the conversation.
“There’s always flexibility, but you look at the schedule in the summer, start to lay it out, talk to the goalies, and talk to everybody. It’s been laid out for quite some time.”
The coach also had plenty of praise for Bobrovsky’s preparation and presence. Hiller said he had long admired the veteran’s game, dating back to Columbus, and that the way he carries himself now matches what he saw from afar.
“I’ve watched him play with tremendous respect over the years, even going all the way back to Columbus. I just remember his routines.
He was somebody who always caught your eye based on how dialed in he seemed. Then you get to know him, and that’s just his persona.
He’s just a very calm person who loves playing goal, and I really love that about him.”
When asked about Bobrovsky’s behind-the-scenes routine, Hiller didn’t give away much.
“I don’t know if I should tell you his trade secret. He does everything possible to give himself the chance to be set up perfectly for the game. I’ve never seen anything like it, and it’s so impressive to watch.”
Hiller also addressed Easton Cowan’s return to the top line with Auston Matthews and Jack Roslovic. Cowan’s ice time dipped on Saturday, but the coach said the move back up was about getting a productive combination rolling again.
“He’s played so well. Listen, he made a couple of mistakes.
Everybody makes mistakes. A couple of plays that we didn’t like at inopportune times.
Eventually, we’ve got to make some decisions.
But we’ve loved how he’s played. We’ve talked about him a lot, too.
We’ve loved how he’s progressed, and I’m not worried about him at all responding. We wanted to get that line back together because it’s been so good for us.”
Roslovic, meanwhile, drew strong praise from Hiller when asked whether the forward’s recent stretch has been the best hockey of his career.
“Good question for Jack. It’s the best hockey I’ve seen him play.
Now, I’ve seen him usually every couple of months, but this is the best I’ve seen him play. I think the Columbus game in Columbus was the best single game I saw him play.
But again, I see him every couple of months usually. He’s been a really important player for us.
Very, very happy with what he’s given us.”
Hiller also touched on Dakota Joshua, who was moved alongside Nick Paul and William Nylander after a strong outing in Vancouver. The coach said Joshua’s workload is being managed carefully after a long stretch away from game action.
“He played a strong game (in Vancouver). It was the first game in a long time for him.
We weren’t sure, and we don’t want to give him too much. But I talked to him.
He said the wind was good, and the legs were good, so we’ll see. Maybe he’s going to get a little bit more tomorrow night.”
The biggest tactical lesson from the loss in Utah, Hiller said, was simple: the turnovers have to stop. He pointed directly to the rush chances the team allowed and said those giveaways continue to create problems.
“We gave up too many rush chances. If you’ve looked at our games, the times we haven’t played well or we’ve given up a lot of chances, it’s when we’ve turned the puck over. That’s what we did in Utah, and it’s still a sore spot in our game.
If we take those out, we’re pretty solid. We give the other team easy offense, and it’s biting us.
That’s what I take from that Utah game. We gave them too much that way.”
Hiller said the coaching staff and management are constantly revisiting decisions and talking through options, but the process is collaborative rather than rigid.
“I think you’re always reevaluating whatever the plan is. You’re always giving input.
There’s always a good discussion, and then you come up with a consensus. I say consensus, and then ultimately someone has to make a final decision.
But you take in all parties, and they’re good discussions.
I can appreciate the questions, but we haven’t talked about it nearly as much as you guys. I’ve talked about it more today than we’ve talked about it in two weeks with our coaches and management.”
He was also asked whether baseball-style managerial instincts apply to his job, but Hiller pushed back on the comparison.
“No, I wouldn’t say that. If that’s what you’re asking - no, that’s not the case. No, that’s not the case.”
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