It's not exactly Montreal, Detroit, or any other NHL city for that matter. But, for right now, Cincinnati is the best place for 22-year-old goaltender Jean-Sebastien Giguere. The Montreal native, playing for the AHL's Cincinnati Mighty Ducks, is in the midst of his best professional season and was selected as a first-team AHL All-Star.

Originally selected with the 13th overall pick by the Hartford Whalers (now Carolina Hurricanes) in the 1995 draft, Giguere began his professional career with the loftiest of expectations. His Whaler career lasted just eight games, however, before Giguere was shipped off to Calgary along with forward Andrew Cassels in exchange for forward Gary Roberts and netminder Trevor Kidd in the summer of '97.

Cincinnati head coach Mike Babcock, who has been familiar with Giguere's play long before this season, remembers the struggles of the young goaltender.

"I was supposed to have him at the World Juniors in '97. But, he got called up by Hartford, so we didn't get him," said Babcock. "Things didn't work out early in his career because of a lack of confidence, no goalie coach, and other factors."

The trade to Calgary didn't help Giguere get back to the form which made him one of the world's most sought-after goaltenders as a teenager. The young French-Canadian, whose butterfly style drew comparisons to All-Star netminder and future Hall of Famer Patrick Roy, knew that something was not right.

"I had no goalie coach, and my technique suffered," said Giguere. "It's hard as a goalie when there is no one to talk to when things aren't going right. I told Calgary, all the time, that it was tough with no coach."

The tide then began to shift for Giguere. After playing just 22 games as a Flame, he was shipped to Anaheim for a second-round pick on the day of the 2000 draft

"That was the big turning point," said Giguere. "Working with (Cincinnati goalie coach) Francois Allaire has made me more confident. I started working with him this past summer, and we have really gone back to the basics and made things a lot simpler."

Giguere is no stranger to Allaire's instruction; He attended Allaire's summer camps for years while in Montreal.

"A big part of the development of young goalies is playing a lot of games, and he hasn't had that the past few years," said Allaire. "He has had good tempo all season and has shown an ability to compete in tough situations.

"Anaheim wants to develop young goalies, and last summer we really went back to the way he played back in Juniors, when he was a dominant player."

This season, Giguere has been playing like his old self. The resurrection hasn't been lost on Babcock, whose team enters the weekend of Dec. 30 with a 17-11-2 record. Giguere sports a personal mark of 10-7 with a 2.32 GAA.

"Talent is paramount for goaltenders, and he has that," said Babcock. "His wherewithal, heart, maturity, and mental toughness only adds to his talent. He really leads this team."

Being a leader is of paramount importance to Giguere, who looked up to his idol Roy for exactly that trait.

"He shows up and plays hard every night," said Giguere. "He is such a leader."

In fact, Giguere's first-ever NHL win came against Roy on November 16, 1998. With the way he has played this season for Cincinnati, it may not be long before Giguere sees his idol in the opposing crease.

Q&A with Jean-Sebastien Giguere

Q: What are your thoughts on the return of Mario Lemieux?
A: It's interesting. It will bring good coverage to the game. He was my favorite player when I was young, and one day I may have a chance to play against him.

Q: What is it like playing in a town like Cincinnati, with two minor league hockey teams?
A: We see them at the bars sometimes. I thought there may be some more competition than there is (between the two teams). Some sort of exhibition would be great, though. There would really be some battles.

Q: How would you describe your home fans?
A: They're pretty loud, but they don't like coming to games in the cold. After the holidays, it will really pick up, and the crowd is always behind you. It really pumps you up and gives you an edge.

Q: What is your favorite childhood hockey memory?
A: I was a big (Quebec) Nordiques fan. It was the best when Quebec played Montreal, especially in the playoffs. The province (of Quebec) basically shut down. It was amazing. So much action.

Q: You have now played in six cities and with three organizations in the past seven years. Is it difficult to keep moving around so often, especially for someone so young?
A: It's hard to meet new guys. The first two or three days are awkward, especially since I am a little shy. The good thing is that you always get to meet new friends and great people, but you have to keep proving yourself over and over again at each stop along the way.

Steve Kournianos and Josh Goldfine write for Sportsticker.