Ducks’ Jonas Hiller goes on injured reserve

Goaltending has been the most stable aspect of the Ducks’ up-and-down season. But their goaltending situation changed several times Tuesday, when Jonas Hiller was put on injured reserve a few hours after newly signed Ray Emery cleared waivers and was assigned to Syracuse of the American Hockey League.

The injured-reserve designation for Hiller, who ranks among the NHL leaders with a .925 save percentage, 25 wins and four shutouts, is retroactive to last Thursday. He has complained of dizziness and lightheadedness since he returned from the All-Star game, where he was struck twice in the mask.

Hiller practiced Tuesday for the first time since he felt ill but wasn’t 100%. That led the Ducks to put him on IR and recall Timo Pielmeier from the ECHL to back up Curtis McElhinney on Wednesday at Vancouver. Hiller can be activated Thursday.

Emery, signed to a two-way contract to provide depth in the organization, said he felt “lucky to be back” following surgery that grafted part of his right fibula onto his femur to help restore blood flow to his ailing hip.

Emery, 28, had avascular necrosis — the same condition that afflicted Bo Jackson. The blood flow to the top of Emery’s right hip had been cut off, causing the bone to deteriorate. He underwent surgery in April.

Immigration paperwork has delayed his return but he said he hopes to be on the ice with the AHL Crunch this weekend.

“I’m really excited to be back and definitely I appreciate things more,” Emery said Tuesday during a conference call with reporters. “I appreciate my body more, knowing that it’s not always going to be there for me and having that scare of thinking I might have played my last game.”

General Manager Bob Murray said he checked out Emery thoroughly before making the deal.

“He’s a competitor. He always has been a competitor,” Murray said. “He’s obviously had some problems in the past, but from all of our background work I think he’s grown up a whole bunch in the last couple of years.”

Emery, who was frequently late for practice while playing for Ottawa and fought teammates as well as opponents, said his new maturity hasn’t stifled his intensity.

“I’m still a sore loser,” he said. “I still go out there to win every game and I won’t apologize for being that way, but I also won’t let it get in my way either, in the way of distractions and issues that don’t need to come up.”

Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf, out of the lineup since he was struck in the face by a deflected puck Dec. 28 and suffered facial fractures, is expected to return Wednesday. To clear a roster spot, the Ducks put forward Aaron Voros on waivers. If Voros clears waivers, he will be assigned to Syracuse.

helene.elliott@latimes.com

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