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Jonas Hiller’s vertigo-like problems continue

58th NHL All-Star Game

in the 58th NHL All-Star Game at RBC Center on January 30, 2011 in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Kevin C. Cox

One of the saddest and most unexpected stories of the 2010-11 season revolves around the mysterious, vertigo-like issues plaguing Anaheim Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller. The Swiss-born netminder began dealing with those problems on February 2nd, only playing one game since (a shutout of the San Jose Sharks on February 13th).

If you’re looking for good news regarding Hiller’s situation, you’re out of luck. It seems like the talented goalie is in a troubled state right now. He continues to wrestle with those issues and in many ways, things have only gotten worse according to Eric Stephens of the OC Register.

Stephens reports that Hiller seemingly is passing baseline tests so far, although he underwent more on Monday. Here is what he said about the situation.

“It kind of feels like I’m always falling behind the play,” Hiller said. “It’s like I can’t keep up with the puck any more. I might be physcially there but I always feel like my head’s not there yet. I almost feel like I’m running behind the whole play for half a second or something.

“I’m always trying to catch up, which throws me off even more.”

Hiller said that the vertigo doesn’t bother him much off the ice but that the symptoms appear to worsen whenever he attempts to push himself in on-ice sessions prior to practice.

“The problem is some days I feel actually pretty good,” he said. “There’s days that are pretty good. There are days when it’s really bad. So it’s kind of up and down. It’s just kind of tough because every time I have a good day, I feel like, ‘Yeah, it’s coming’ and the next day is a bad day and I always feel like I’m two steps back again.”

It’s a tough scenario for Hiller and the Ducks, as Anaheim signed him to a four-year, $18 million going into this season. The situation is odd and disconcerting, but we’ll keep you updated as he grapples with these strange symptoms.