ose Theodore isn't talking. It's game day, you see, and the Montreal Canadiens goaltender has made it a practice of not talking to the media when he's playing later in the day. If that doesn't happen to suit a columnist's plans to write about his return to Hart trophy form too bad.
Theodore is the biggest hockey story in Montreal this season. (Well, next to Sheldon Souray's team-leading six goals). Even though the Habs are one game below .500, those who follow the team shudder to think where they'd be without Theodore's game-saving performances.
He already has four shutouts, which is twice as many as he had all last year. Before arriving in Vancouver, Theodore was single-handedly responsible for Montreal's eighth win of the season, a 3-2 victory over Ottawa. In it, the Canadiens were outshot 40-13.
"He's back," says Souray, the Habs iron-tough blueliner. "He's been unbelievable all season."
Of course, Theodore was the hockey story in Montreal last season too, but for other reasons. Then the storylines focused on what had happened to the netminder who the previous year was named the NHL's most valuable player, its top goalie and who had finished the regular season with an astonishing save percentage of .931 and goals against average of .931. The same goalie who was rewarded for his fine play with a multi-year contract worth $5.5 million US a season.
Theodore's save percentage plummeted to .908 in 2002-03, while his goals against average skyrocketed to 2.89. And without a miracle worker between the pipes the crepe-paper-thin talent of the Canadiens became apparent to all.
So what happened? The word around Montreal was Jose had had a little too much fun the summer after his Hart trophy season and didn't prepare for the upcoming campaign as seriously as he could have. There were other distractions too, like the women fainting at his feet and, well, the women fainting at his feet.
You can understand, therefore, how a 27-year-old kid with millions of dollars in the bank, the looks of Julio Iglesias, and a black book as thick as the yellow pages might not be motivated to call his teammates up to shoot pucks at his head every day.
I mean, who could blame the guy for wanting to enjoy the lottery he'd won?
But when Theodore got off to a poor start, especially after signing such a lucrative contract, Montreal's famous hockey media were unrelenting. Theodore took a pounding in the press. To his credit, he managed to get through the season in one piece, a little bruised, a little scarred, but in one piece and intent on showing his critics they were wrong. That the Hart season wasn't a fluke.
This past off-season, however, didn't get off to the start Theodore was looking for. For year, rumours had been swirling around the activities of his father. There were stories about the family's association with biker gangs and eventually pictures surfaced that showed the goaltender in the company of some of Montreal's finest leather-vested Harley Davidson owners. It all came crashing down just before the season started when Theodore's father, uncle and half brother were among 14 people charged with conspiracy in an alleged loansharking ring. Some of the 14 were also charged with extortion, loansharking, gangsterism and uttering threats.
Jose Theodore was not linked to any of the charges.
Needless to say there were many on the island of Montreal who felt the criminal proceedings would spell the end of Theodore. That he couldn't possibly concentrate and focus and endure another season of the blinding light cast by the media if he got off to a poor start. A rebound year? Yeah, right, the critics chided. Any Theodore rebounds were going to end up on the stick of an opposing player and in the net.
What most people didn't see, however, was Theodore's commitment to conditioning. He worked out harder than he'd ever worked out in his life. He was ready, he told friends, to put on his goalie mask and block out all the other stuff out there.
"Forget all the off-ice distractions," said Souray. "As proud as Jose is, he knew he failed to live up to his expectations last season and I think he's been carrying a big chip on his shoulder this season. He was out to prove people wrong, I think, and that's why he prepared like never before."
"I worked out with him a little bit this summer," said Habs blueliner Craig Rivet. "And I can tell you he really, really worked hard. It's really paying off now I think and I also think he's been helped by the fact he's not seeing as many shots as he did last year."
Which makes you wonder, if Ottawa got 40 shots on Theodore a few days ago, how many shots were they getting on him last season?
Heading into Tuesday night's game against Vancouver, Theodore was boasting a save percentage of .918 and a goals against average of 2.15. Those numbers aren't as good as Dan Cloutier's; neither is the team in front of Theodore as solid as the Canucks.
Montreal players admit that Theodore is likely going to have to play this way for the rest of the season for the Canadiens to have any shot at the playoffs. As long as he doesn't fade from exhaustion, Theodore should give Montreal that chance. He craves the pressure. He enjoys being the difference in a game. And if you don't believe me ask him.
There were other distractions too, like the women fainting at his feet and, well, the women fainting at his feet.
You can understand, therefore, how a 27-year-old kid with millions of dollars in the bank, the looks of Julio Iglesias, and a black book as thick as the yellow pages might not be motivated to call his teammates up to shoot pucks at his head every day.
I hear ya....gotta hate when that happens.... :roll: k:
Canadiens netminder returning to form
Canadiens netminder returning to form
k:
Linear Mode
