Mighty Migration : Ducks Branching Out During Work Stoppage : Guy Hebert

Goaltender Guy Hebert might be the only NHL player happy to be locked out. His father, Paul, suffered a heart attack in September and Guy rushed home to Troy, N.Y., to be by his side.

“It happened right in front of the doctors at the hospital,” Hebert said by phone from his parents’ home. “It was the best place to be. Before any damage was done, they were able to get him under hospital care. He ended up not having any surgery, which he was happy about. He had an angioplasty. He’s had to re-think how he’s living his life, watching his eating and getting some exercise.

“It was a good wake-up call.”

With Paul Hebert on the mend, the family’s thoughts have returned to hockey.

“My father keeps asking me when I’m going back to work,” Guy Hebert said.

He hasn’t been home at this time of year since high school. The leaves have turned a brilliant gold and red and fallen to the ground. Winter’s chill has blown in and the first snow surely can’t be far behind.

Hebert rides a mountain bike, plays golf and fields offers to help coach the goalies at nearby Hamilton College, where he played from 1985-89. He has visited old friends and even contemplated attending his old high school’s football games.

He’s also beginning to get bored.

“I’m going to have to break up the monotony of sitting here at home,” he said. “I’m looking forward to getting back there (to Anaheim). I’ll probably stay here until I get the official word (that the labor dispute has been resolved). I had plans to go back in two weeks, but I’ll probably just hack around, play some pickup hockey around here.”