| Adam Sarson. 14th March, 2008 - 6:24 pm
 There is a lot of buzz surrounding the Colorado Avalanche right now. Joe Sakic recently came back from injury, and former players Adam Foote and Peter Forsberg have made triumphant returns to Denver. They?re 8-2 in their last 10 and have vaulted to the top of the Northwest division. But, believe it or not, there?s a story here that is not being told. We all know the goalie is the most important player on a team, and it is mind-boggling that Jose Theodore isn?t getting the credit he deserves.
Coming into the 2007-2008 season, Theodore was probably expecting to be the backup to Peter Budaj. Budaj had a good 06-07 season and was slated to be the number one goalie. Now, while Theodore has not gone on a Vesa Toskala type-run, he has played more games and will likely be the go-to-guy come playoff time. Considering the long-term injuries to Sakic, Ryan Smyth, Paul Stastny and others, Theodore?s numbers become even more impressive.
Theodore has recorded 23 wins this season, the first time he has cracked the 20-win plateau since the lockout. His 2.36 goals-against average and .912 save percentage have him ranked favorably with the league?s best. He is consistently on the highlight reel every night and seems to be close to regaining his Hart Trophy form.
So, where did he come from this season? Avalanche fans have been waiting for this kind of performance from Theodore ever since he arrived from Montreal in a trade for former number-one goalie David Aebischer.
After being drafted by the Canadiens in the 1994 draft, it seemed Theodore was primed to become the next great French-Canadian goalie to play for the Habs. He became the full-time starter for the 2001-2002 season and immediately won over the Montreal faithful. He would win the Vezina and Hart Trophies that season, and lead the Canadiens to a surprising eighth place finish and a playoff match-up against the number one seeded Boston Bruins. Theodore was marvelous against the Bruins, giving Montreal a major upset victory.
Circumstances would go nowhere but down for Theodore in the following years. He never regained the form he had in the 2002 playoffs and combined with a large contract made his on-ice play unacceptable. Theodore also had family problems that were blown way out of proportion by the Montreal media. The failed steroid test in 2006 sealed his fate a member of the Canadiens. Theodore had been legally taking Propecia, a hair-loss medication for eight years. As usual, the Montreal media, looking for a scapegoat, pleaded with Montreal management to rid Theodore of the beloved Habs. Former Avalanche GM Pierre Lacroix pulled the trigger on the Theodore for Aebsicher swap, and Habs' GM Bob Gainey was praised for ridding a large contract and a distraction.
Fast-forward to the present day, and the Avalanche are flourishing with the goaltending of not only Theodore but Budaj, as well. It is Theodore?s play, however, that is the key to the success of the Avs. Playing in front of a less than ideal team for most of the season, Theodore has been the difference on most nights for the Avalanche and will likely need to do the same the rest of the way and into the playoffs.
It has been a long time coming, but it looks like Jose has finally crawled back into prominence. In a time when we often criticize players for hanging on too long, Theodore is the kind of story that brings a smile to faces, the story of a player who lost it, and found it again. It?s just a shame that nobody is paying attention to the unfolding story in Denver. |
