Difficult time for new dad

Life has dealt Jean-Sebastien Giguere his share of ups and downs but nothing like the last six days.

“It’s been tough,” he said, fighting back tears. “It’s been tough.”

The Ducks goaltender and his wife, Kristen, have been on an emotional roller coaster since their first child, Maxime Olivier, was born -- April 3 at 12:20 a.m. It was a joyous moment. At 6 pounds 8 ounces, he completed their world.

But soon that joy was tempered by the knowledge that Maxime has a medical condition, and while not life-threatening it is one the family wants to keep private.

Always accommodating and often willing to answer the tough question, Giguere on Monday struggled.

Here was the star of the 2003 Stanley Cup playoffs, the man who helped carry this season’s team to the brink of another Cup run, back at work to prepare for Wednesday’s Game 1 of a Western Conference first-round series against the Minnesota Wild.

On the ice, total composure.

Off the ice, when the subject turned to caring for his newborn son, Giguere worked hard to find that composure.

“It was something that we’ve been talking about for years,” Giguere said. “We were just waiting for Kristen to finish school and the timing was right. We couldn’t be happier. He’s a big part of our life.”

The night of April 3, the Ducks were to play the San Jose Sharks in a critical game for the Pacific Division. All that mattered to Giguere was the little human being in his arms.

“It’s quite a feeling,” he said. “You can’t believe how small they are and how fragile they look. They’re human. Man, they’re ready to go. It’s pretty impressive. It’s an unbelievable moment. The best of my life.”

Some of the moments since have been among his most trying.

The Gigueres have spent the last few days consulting with doctors and arranging appointments with specialists who are knowledgeable of their son’s particular medical issue.

At the same time, these playoffs are what Giguere has worked for since May 27, 2006, the day the Ducks lost the Western Conference finals in Game 5 against the Edmonton Oilers. And it is why he is back on the ice this week even as thoughts of his son tear at him inside.

“You want to be where it matters the most,” Giguere said. “But at the same time, life continues and you do what you have to do. You have to work and this is my work. So you’ve got to be here and try to focus when you’re here. You try to focus on what you have to do.

“It’s a little hard. I won’t lie to you. You try to be professional. When I come here, I try not to think about what’s going on at home. It’s not easy. But sometimes you got to do what you got to do.”

Professionally, the Montreal native is on a high. Seemingly entering his prime at 29, Giguere flourished behind a defense led by Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger and recorded a 36-10-8 record with four shutouts. The victories surpassed his previous best of 34 in 2002-03.

His 2.26 goals-against average is the best since 2001-02. More important, his health isn’t an issue, as it was last season when he battled groin injuries into the playoffs.

“It’s no surprise he’s had the success that he’s had,” center Andy McDonald said. “All you have to do is look at his work ethic and the focus that he carries in practice. It’s carried him to the kind of career he’s had thus far, and it’s only going to get better for him.”

Giguere’s work ethic is a common theme.

“He tries to stop every puck in practice. Every puck,” said Brian Burke, the Ducks’ general manager. “I’m not going to suggest that that’s wise necessarily, but it’s admirable. And it makes our practices better. You’ve got to bear down and score on him in practice.

“I’ve never had a guy work that hard, and I’ve had some pretty good goalies.”

No postseason involving Giguere would be complete without the memories of 2003 when the then-little-known netminder impressed the hockey world with his play that led to stunning upsets of Detroit and Dallas before a sweep of Minnesota carried the Ducks into the finals.

Then came last season, when the Ducks surprised many by advancing to the Western Conference finals. However, it was a low point for Giguere. He hurt himself in a late-season game against Edmonton and struggled mightily in the first round against Calgary before being pulled in favor of Ilya Bryzgalov.

Bryzgalov went on to star against the Flames and the Colorado Avalanche in the conference semifinals. Giguere quietly waited for another chance.

“He was incredibly professional,” Burke said. “When the playoffs started and then he didn’t get the net, he was the first guy to buy lunch for the other players. And he stayed ready. He worked in practice so that when he did get the net, he was ready.”

Of postseason play, Giguere said: “I’ve been in both good and bad [situations]. Hopefully, being in both of them makes me a better goalie today.”

This season the playoffs carry even more weight because they could play a critical part in Giguere’s future in Anaheim. He is making almost $4 million in the final year of a deal he signed after the 2002-03 season.

After posting strong numbers this season, he could become the most coveted free-agent goalie. Both Giguere and his agent, Bob Sauve, have agreed to put off discussion of an extension until after the season.

Burke doesn’t seem worried.

“We told Jiggy we’ll talk after the season and hopefully that’s not for a while yet,” he said.

Anyway, that’s all in the future for Giguere. The present is tough enough. Duty calls.

“Life continues and whatever happens at home, sometimes you got to leave it there,” Giguere said. “You’ve got to go to work. It’s not easy. But I have to manage to do that. It’s a work in progress.”

eric.stephens@latimes.com