Huet shows French can play hockey

Bob McManaman
NHL Insider
Mar. 23, 2003 12:00 AM

France has renown for many things, from its fine food and fashion sense, to its champagne, trendy sidewalk cafes and tales of windswept romance.

It is not a country, however, known for producing NHL players.

Looking for a 30-goal scorer or a third-liner who can win faceoffs and grind in the corners? Forget about Paris.

About the only things French you'll ever find in the NHL are French-Canadians. And there are plenty of those. More than you can shake a hockey stick at.

Which makes you wonder: For every Guy Lafleur, Gilbert Perreault and Denis Savard, why have there been no French-national Toms, Dicks or Harrys - oops, make that TOE-mahses, REE-shards and On-REES - in the NHL?

Wayne Fleming, a former Coyotes assistant coach who has extensive, international coaching experience, once offered this explanation:

"Because there just hasn't been anybody good enough."

Take that, Jacques Chirac.

It's not that France is devoid of hockey players. Of course, the last time it actually participated in a global coalition on the sports scene, its men's ice hockey team got laughed out of the Winter Olympics.

Ah, but a French flicker of hope has landed on U.S. soil in the form of goaltender Cristobal Huet, a 27-year-old who hails from St. Martin, D'Heres.

The 214th overall pick in the 2001 draft by the Los Angeles Kings, Huet is believed to be just the second French national - and the first goalie - ever to play in the NHL when he recently began suiting up for Los Angeles.

The first French invader is believed to be Philippe Bozon, who played 144 games for St. Louis in 1991-95, scoring 16 career goals.

Huet, though, who got his shot after Felix Potvin suffered a knee injury, could last a while longer. In seven appearances, he has allowed just eight goals and is sporting a brilliant .932 save percentage. On consecutive nights, he beat Washington 3-1 and made 30 saves in a scoreless tie against Carolina.

"We like his work ethic. We like his viewpoint, in terms of being a professional. We just don't like his political views," said Kings coach Andy Murray, referring in jest to France's objections over war with Iraq.

"He has to first become our No. 2 goalie before we get too excited about him. Is he a three- or four-game wonder, or is he a solid NHL goalie? That's yet to be determined, but he's definitely a guy who's got potential."

Huet has spent the past few seasons playing professionally in Switzerland and even though he was drafted, he never gave the NHL much of a thought. Now that he's here, he doesn't want to leave.

"Back home, people in the hockey world are pretty excited and very happy for me," Huet said. "I hope kids there are going to dream of playing in the NHL, and not just for the hometown team. They have to dream big."