Roy

UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- Patrick Roy, the winningest goalie in NHL history, decided Wednesday not to play for Canada in the upcoming Salt Lake City Olympics.

"It's no longer a rumor," the Colorado Avalanche goalie said. "I called (general manager) Wayne Gretzky today and said I would no longer be a part of the Olympics."

The news came out during the Avalanche's 5-4 loss Wednesday night to the New York Islanders, a little sooner than Roy expected.

"I was going to wait to get back home," said Roy, who called Gretzky after he heard talk emerging that he wouldn't play.

Roy, who made the decision the last few weeks, cited rest as the main reason to sit out the second Olympics to feature NHL players.

He also wants to watch his 12-year-old son, Jonathan, play in a Pee Wee tournament in Quebec.

"I want to be ready and focused for the playoffs and get some rest," Roy said. "With the quality of goaltending, the team shouldn't be worried."

Roy went 4-2 with a 1.46 goals-against average in the 1998 Nagano Games, in which Canada failed to earn a medal.

There was immediate reaction expressed by Canada's other Olympians.

"That's disappointing," Anaheim's Paul Kariya said. "He has been, and is one of the best goalies in the world."

That disappointment might only be a fraction of what's to come from Canadian hockey fans.

"I don't know how big a deal it is, but hopefully, it's not a big deal," Roy said. "I don't expect people to accept my decision, but I ask them to please respect my decision.

"I've fought hard for my country in the past, and this decision was not an easy one. But I feel it's the right one for me."

New Jersey's Martin Brodeur and Curtis Joseph of Toronto are expected to be two of the three goalies selected by Canada to compete in the games in February. Rosters must be finalized by Dec. 22.

"Patrick Roy is entitled to make any decision he wants," Joseph said after Toronto's 4-2 loss at Buffalo. "He's played long enough, he's done enough for hockey that whatever decision he makes, he has a reason for it."

Joseph wasn't ready to speculate on how this affects who will be chosen for Salt Lake City.

"I don't like to think too far down the road," he said. "My job is to help this team win each and every night. If we win all of our games, then I'll have a good chance to go."

One candidate for the third goalie position might be 22-year-old Roberto Luongo of the Florida Panthers.

"I'm pretty surprised," he said after beating Anaheim 6-0 Wednesday night. "Obviously, he is a great goalie. I don't know why he wouldn't want to go."

Panthers coach Duane Sutter was quick to promote Luongo for the team.

"Obviously, Luie (Luongo) had been in consideration," Sutter said. "Maybe he will get an opportunity. It would be a wonderful opportunity."

Roy's timing might not be great for Gretzky and his staff, but it couldn't be better for Luongo. He drew attention in Canada last weekend after a 44-save effort in a 1-0 loss to Montreal and followed that with 30 saves Wednesday.

Ed Belfour of Dallas and Phoenix's Sean Burke are sure to be considered as well.

Belfour, 36, was invited to Canada's orientation camp in September along with Roy, Joseph and Brodeur. But he's never been thought of as a threat for the No. 1 job.

His invitation might have been issued because Stars coach Ken Hitchcock is also an assistant with the Olympic team.

Burke, 34, has been solid on a bad hockey team the last two seasons -- Gretzky's NHL team. Gretzky has repeatedly mentioned that Burke, Canada's goalie at the 1988 and 1992 Games, deserves consideration.