Tough Call

Call Mighty Duck goaltender Guy Hebert a reluctant Olympian if you must, but it’s not an entirely accurate description.

After all, it has always been Hebert’s dream to play hockey for his country in the Olympics. A kid from upstate New York who’s old enough to remember the Miracle on Ice in the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics?

Dream? Are you kidding? Goal is more like it.

The World Cup of Hockey, won by the United States last year with Hebert as a backup, was a pretty good warmup. But an Olympic gold medal? Now that could be the ultimate prize for Hebert this season.

Hebert would love nothing more than to join the U.S. team Feb. 7 in Nagano, Japan, for the Olympics. It’s an honor, a reward for his standout play for the Ducks this season.

But it’s not as simple as packing his bags and taking an 11-hour flight to Japan with his Team USA teammates.

You see, Hebert and his wife, Sarah, are expecting their first child to be born in mid-January. The birth is not something Hebert is willing to miss. Plus, he said the pregnancy has not been easy for Sarah thus far.

So, he’s torn.

Family definitely has to come first, and he doesn’t want to leave the Olympic team in a difficult spot by bailing out on Coach Ron Wilson at the last moment.

Hebert said Friday he has not yet made a decision to turn down the Nagano trip and he hopes he doesn’t have to. He hopes it’s possible to be there for both joyous events.

“I haven’t given it even one ounce of thought on this road trip because we’ve been traveling so much,” Hebert said. “I’ve barely been able to speak to my wife.”

Earlier this season, Hebert said his wife told him he would be crazy to miss the Olympics. More recently, he said she has told him she won’t make the decision for him.

“It’s definitely a thrill to make the team,” said Hebert, whose 3-1 record with two shutouts and a 1.39 goals-against average in four starts before the final six roster spots were announced Monday probably sealed his selection.

“I’ve been trying to get a lot of input from family and friends as to what to do. Unfortunately, the timing is bad. I’d like to think I’d be able to do both.”

He plans to soon speak to Wilson, his coach for four seasons with the Ducks, to discuss his situation. Wilson’s new team, the Washington Capitals, play the Ducks Friday at the Pond.

“No one from USA Hockey has asked me about it yet,” Hebert said. “I don’t think they have a clue about the situation. Unless they’ve been reading the papers in California, how could they?

“I’m sure I’m going to have to get in touch with Ron and ask him what he thinks. I don’t want to leave the team hanging.”

If Hebert goes to the Olympics, he probably will be the No. 3 goalie on the U.S. depth chart behind Mike Richter of the New York Rangers and John Vanbiesbrouck of the Florida Panthers.

Richter was nothing short of sensational during the World Cup victory and Vanbiesbrouck has been one of the NHL’s top goaltenders for many years. But this season, Hebert has closed the gap on his more heralded Olympic teammates.

In many ways, he might be having a better season than either Richter or Vanbiesbrouck.

Hebert’s goals-against average is 2.62, which is close to Richter’s 2.53 and better than Vanbiesbrouck’s 2.93. His save percentage of .913 is superior to Richter’s .902 and Vanbiesbrouck’s .893.

Plus, Hebert (7-10-3 in 20 games) is tied for third in the NHL with Boston’s Byron Dafoe and New Jersey’s Martin Brodeur with three shutouts. Neither Richter nor Vanbiesbrouck has a shutout this season.

Not bad for a guy from Troy, N.Y., who played at Division III Hamilton College and has worked his way up through the ranks.

Getting selected for the World Cup team was perhaps the big break Hebert needed to be accepted as one of the NHL’s elite goalies. Making the Western Conference All-Star team for the first time last season clinched the deal.

“I’m sure no one expected me to be where I am today,” Hebert said. “I think a lot of people overlooked me. I took the longer, slower road. I’m sure that helped me in the long run.”

Hebert also gives credit for his steady progress to Wayne Thomas, an assistant with the St. Louis Blues when Hebert first broke into the NHL in 1991-92, and Francois Allaire, the Ducks’ goaltending consultant.

“I didn’t play that much [as Curtis Joseph’s backup in St. Louis], so we’d be out there 25 to 30 minutes after practice just working on things,” Hebert said. “So I owe Wayne a lot.”

Of Allaire, Hebert said: “He’s so sound fundamentally. He preaches technique. You get a little scrambly and get away from what you do best and he gets you back in the middle of the road.”

To be sure, Thomas and Allaire helped Hebert. But Hebert seized his chance to shine once he was taken by the Ducks in the 1993 expansion draft and could escape Joseph’s shadow.

“I hoped I’d make it to the Olympics as an amateur and I was really disappointed when I didn’t,” Hebert said. “Looking back, it’s the one thing I really wanted to accomplish. I’m very excited. I wasn’t good enough 10 years ago when no one knew who I was.

“It kind of seems sweeter now to be picked.”