José Théodore José Théodore ( French pronunciation approximated as , English ; born September 13 , 1976 ) is a French Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) . Théodore played major junior in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League ( QMJHL ) , where he won a President ' s Cup as QMJHL champions and competed in the Memorial Cup with the Hull Olympiques in 1995 . He won both the Ford Cup as the top defensive player and Guy Lafleur Trophy as playoff MVP in 1995 and is a two - time QMJHL Second Team All - Star . Drafted 44th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in 1994 , Théodore played eight seasons in Montreal , where he won the Vezina and Hart trophies , both in 2002 . In 2006 , he was traded to the Colorado Avalanche , where he played two full seasons . Internationally , Théodore has won a gold with Team Canada at the 1996 World Junior Championships , winning the tournament ' s Best Goaltender award . He also started for Team Canada at the 2001 World Championships and was a backup for the 2004 World Cup . Playing career . QMJHL career ( 1992 – 1996 ) . Théodore played major junior in the QMJHL for five seasons with the St - Jean Lynx and Hull Olympiques . At 16 years old , he began his major junior rookie season in 1992 – 93 , splitting goaltending duties with Jean - Pascal Lemelin . He assumed the starting position the following season in 1993 – 94 , recording a 3 . 61 goals against average ( GAA ) with a 20 - 29 - 6 record . Théodore was drafted that off - season by the Montreal Canadiens 44th overall in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft . He returned to the Lynx upon his draft in 1994 – 95 , but was traded early in the season to the Hull Olympiques . In 43 games with his new team in the regular season , Théodore posted a 2 . 97 GAA with a 27 - 14 - 1 record to be awarded the Ford Cup as the top defensive player and be named to the QMJHL Second All - Star Team . Théodore went on to lead the Olympiques to the President ' s Cup as QMJHL champions , winning the Guy Lafleur Trophy as playoff MVP . Earning a berth in the 1995 Memorial Cup , the Olympiques , however , finished in last place . Following the 1995 major junior playoffs , Théodore made his professional debut , being assigned to the American Hockey League ( AHL ) where he played one game for the Fredericton Canadiens , Montreal ' s minor league affiliate , in the 1995 Calder Cup playoffs . Théodore played his fourth and final QMJHL season with the Olympiques in 1995 – 96 . Although he was named to his second consecutive Second All - Star Team , the Olympiques failed to defend their QMJHL title and lost in the first round of the playoffs . Early NHL career ( 1996 – 1999 ) . Théodore spent his first three seasons with the Canadiens organization splitting time in the NHL and the American Hockey League ( AHL ) , with Montreal ' s minor league affiliate , the Fredericton Canadiens . He made his Stanley Cup playoffs debut in 1997 , winning a 4 – 3 triple overtime game against the New Jersey Devils , making 56 saves . The following year , he appeared in 3 playoff games for the Canadiens against the Buffalo Sabres despite not playing in any regular season games for them that campaign . Rise to prominence ( 1999 – 2004 ) . Théodore became a full - time NHLer in 1999 – 2000 , sharing starts with Jeff Hackett . In his first full NHL season , Théodore posted a 23 - 25 - 7 record with a 2 . 40 goals against average ( GAA ) and . 914 save percentage , along with 3 shutout s . He assumed the starting role over Hackett the following season in 2000 – 01 and went 20 - 29 - 5 in 59 games . During a game on January 2 , 2001 , Théodore became the sixth goaltender to directly score a goal when he attempted to clear the puck from the defensive zone against the New York Islanders and scored into the empty net , which was vacated by John Vanbiesbrouck for the extra attacker . He became the first NHL goalie to directly score a goal and record a shutout in the same game as the Canadiens beat the Islanders 3 – 0 . But he was the second goaltender to be credited with a goal and a shutout in the same game , after Damian Rhodes , who was credited with a goal in a 6 – 0 win on January 2 , 1999 . Théodore emerged as a world - class goalie in 2001 – 02 , when he turned in a Vezina and Hart Memorial Trophy - winning performance with a 30 - 24 - 10 record , 2 . 11 GAA and . 931 save percentage . He led the Canadiens into the playoffs as the eighth and final seed in the Eastern Conference and was a pivotal factor in upsetting the top - ranked Boston Bruins in the first round . He became an immediate fan favorite in the city of Montreal . The Canadiens were , however , eliminated by the Carolina Hurricanes the following round in six games . Théodore was unable to match his previous season ' s performance in 2002 – 03 and ended the season with significantly lower statistics ( 2 . 90 GAA and . 909 save percentage ) to go with a losing record that saw the Canadiens unable to make the playoffs . He bounced back in 2003 – 04 with a GAA of 2 . 34 and save percentage of . 919 . During the season , he participated with the Canadiens in the 2003 Heritage Classic , the NHL ' s first ever outdoor hockey game . The game was held at Commonwealth Stadium versus the Edmonton Oilers , a game which Montreal won 4 - 3 . Playing in sub - zero temperatures , Théodore famously wore a toque over his goalie helmet . He ended the season with a second 30 - win campaign , helping the Canadiens qualify for the 2004 playoffs as the seventh seed . They upset the Boston Bruins for the second time in three years in a seven - game opening series , before being eliminated by the top - seeded , eventual Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning in four . Due to the 2004 – 05 NHL lockout , Théodore went overseas to play for Djurgården of the Swedish Elitserien . Post - lockout ( 2005 – " present " ) . When NHL play resumed in 2005 – 06 , it was revealed on February 9 , 2006 , that he failed a random drug test conducted prior the 2006 Winter Olympics . The failed test was later revealed to be caused by a prescription hair loss medication Propecia , which Théodore had been taking legally for 8 years . Propecia contains the drug finasteride , which can be used as a masking agent for the performance enhancing drug nandrolone among weight - trainers and bodybuilders , but it is not a performance enhancing drug in itself . Théodore did not face any punishment from the NHL as he had applied and received approval for a therapeutic use exception . Théodore did , however , receive a two - year suspension from international play . In addition to the drug controversy , Théodore ' s play with the Canadiens was marked by a significant drop and he was being outperformed by backup Cristobal Huet . Consequently , he was dealt at the trade deadline to the Colorado Avalanche on March 8 , 2006 , in exchange for Swiss goaltender David Aebischer . At the time of the trade , Théodore was on the injured reserve ; he strained his Achilles tendon after slipping on the winter ice outside his home . He came off the IR with enough time to play in the last five regular season Avalanche games . His 3 . 04 GAA with the Avalanche combined with his 3 . 46 rating earned from his previous play with the Canadiens marked the worst GAA of his career . He was nonetheless designated the starting goalie for the playoffs over Peter Budaj , playing in 9 games over the first 2 rounds before the Avalanche were eliminated . Théodore ' s play did not see much improvement the following season , in 2006 – 07 , as he lost the starting role to Budaj with a 13 - 15 - 1 record , 3 . 26 GAA and . 891 save percentage . He saw a resurgence in 2007 – 08 , however , and resumed the starting role with a 2 . 40 GAA and . 910 save percentage . He parted ways with the Avalanche in the off - season and signed a two - year , $ 9 million contract with the Washington Capitals on July 1 , 2008 . He replaced long - time Capitals starter Olaf Kolzig and the previous season ' s acquisition ( as well as former Canadiens teammate ) , Cristobal Huet , who had both departed in free agency . Joining a team that featured young talents Alexander Semin , Nicklas Backstrom , Mike Green and , primarily , Alexander Ovechkin , Théodore helped lead the Capitals to a division title and entered the 2009 playoffs as the second seed . However , after allowing 4 goals in a game one loss to the New York Rangers in the opening round , he was pulled in favor of backup Semyon Varlamov . In 2010 he had a 30 - 7 - 7 record and tied a Capitals franchise record for consecutive wins ( 10 ) and ended the season on a 20 - 0 - 4 streak . He started the playoffs but was pulled in Game 2 and replaced again by Varlamov and did not play any more games as the Capitals were eliminated in seven games by the Montreal Canadiens . Theodore won the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in 2010 . On October 1 , 2010 , he signed a one - year deal worth $ 1 . 1M with the Minnesota Wild . He earned his 250th career victory on January 2 , 2011 , with a 6 - 5 overtime victory against the Phoenix Coyotes . Theodore signed a two - year / $ 3 million contract with the Florida Panthers on July 1 , 2011 . International play . Théodore played for Team Canada at the 1996 World Junior Championships in Boston during his fourth major junior season . He posted a 4 - 0 - 0 record with a 1 . 50 GAA to earn Best Goaltender and Tournament All - Star honours , en route to Canada ' s fourth straight gold medal at the tournament . He made his debut for Canada ' s men ' s team in the 2001 World Championship . He recorded two shutouts and a 1 . 63 GAA , but Canada was defeated in the quarterfinals by the United States . In 2004 , he played backup for Team Canada at the World Cup , seeing Canada defeat Finland in the final to capture the championship . Personal life . His father , Theodore ( Ted ) Theodore , is of Bulgarian descent , while his mother is of Spanish descent . On December 15 , 2004 , his father and half - brother pleaded guilty to charges of loansharking and possession of a restricted weapon . In February 2005 , the 71 - year - old Ted Théodore was given a $ 30 , 000 fine , but no jail time . Théodore has one child , Romy ( born March 22 , 2006 ) , with his wife Stéphanie Cloutier . Cloutier gave birth to their second child , Chace ( born premature ) in the summer of 2009 , however , on August 20 , 2009 , the Washington Capitals and Théodore ' s sister - in - law reported that his two - month old son , Chace passed away . Théodore founded Saves for Kids , a charity to benefit the Neonatal intensive - care unit at Children ’ s National Medical Center in Washington , D . C .