The end of the 2005-06 season is a story that has been told time after time. Everyone knows Cam Ward led the Hurricanes to a Game 7 victory over the Edmonton Oilers to win the Stanley Cup, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy in the process as a rookie. History often overlooks Martin Gerber's contributions to the team after how rough his postseason began.
Gerber was selected by the Mighty Ducks in the 8th round in 2001, spending his first two seasons as Jean-Sebastian Giguere's backup, including Anaheim's run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2003. While his 17-23-7 record didn't stand out, Gerber posted a 2.13 GAA and a .923 save percentage in 54 games. It was enough of a sample size for the Hurricanes to trade for him before the 2004 lockout.
To acquire Gerber, the Hurricanes traded Tomas Malec and a 2004 3rd-round pick. Malec, a young defenseman acquired from the Panthers in 2002 in the same deal with Bret Hedican and Kevyn Adams, tallied two assists in 43 games with the Canes. He didn't play for the Ducks, signing with Ottawa in 2005. Anaheim selected Kyle Klubertanz 74th overall, and he never reached the NHL.
The trade immediately turned into a franchise-best goalie performance
Once the league returned for the 2005-06 season, Gerber was tabbed to be a starter for the first time, with Ward as his backup. After a subpar outing in the season opener, Gerber won his next seven outings, setting the tone for a record-breaking regular season run. By the Olympic break, Gerber already had the 4th-most wins in a season (28) in franchise history with over a month remaining.
Gerber participated in the Olympics for Switzerland. While he was shelled by eventual silver medalists Finland in the Swiss opener, Gerber rebounded with a shocking 49-save shutout win in his next start to upset Canada. Switzerland finished 2nd in Group A, but Gerber was blitzed in the quarterfinals, 6-2, by 2006 gold medalists Sweden.
Post-break, Gerber's record fell a little, going 10-5-4 down the stretch, but not before he set the franchise record for wins. Gerber earned his 38th win of the season with a 5-4 shootout triumph over the Tampa Bay Lightning, passing Arturs Irbe's 37-win campaign in 2000-01. With a division crown locked down, Gerber was ready to lead the Hurricanes into the postseason.
A rough start to the playoffs ends with a massive silver lining for Gerber
As the story goes, Martin Gerber had a rough start to the playoffs against the 7th-seeded Montreal Canadiens. Gerber allowed six goals in a 6-1 loss in Game 1, and he was lifted after conceding three more in less than 15 minutes in Game 2. This gave way to the rise of Cam Ward, who carried the ball for most of the remainder.
Gerber returned to the net during the Eastern Conference Finals. He relieved Ward in Game 3 before earning the start for Game 4, where he shut out the Sabres, 4-0, by making 22 stops to even the series. Gerber started again in Game 5, but he allowed three goals on 11 shots as Ward retook the net. This would be Gerber's final appearance for the Hurricanes.
The story has a happy ending for Gerber, who earned his first Stanley Cup ring just a few weeks later. Gerber became the second Swiss player to win a Stanley Cup, joining Olympic teammate and goalie partner David Aebischer (2001 with Colorado). Gerber signed with Ottawa that offseason, with Ward taking the reins in the crease for the Hurricanes.
While his tenure in Raleigh was short, this was no doubt a win for the Hurricanes. He might not have led them to the Stanley Cup when the playoffs began, but Gerber put the team in the best position to get the job done. He also made the crucial start to turn the series back in the Canes' favor against the Sabres. He deserves a little more credit than he's given for his one season in Raleigh.