Théodore: 'That isn't a trophy you hope to win'

MONTREAL - In the summer of 2009, José Théodore and his wife Stéphanie Cloutier were dealt a cruel hand.

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Shortly before Theodore was scheduled to report for training camp with the Washington Capitals, the couple's two-month-old son, Chace, passed away.
Despite the tragedy, the Laval native still found the strength to start the season and enjoyed one of the best campaigns of his career, posting a 30-7-7 record, along with a 2.81 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage.
At the end of the year, Théodore won the Bill Masterton Trophy, which is presented annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey.
The former second-round selection of Montreal in 1994 never imagined claiming that particular award someday.
"When you're young, that isn't a trophy you hope to win because it often means that you've had to overcome something hard. I always respected the players who won the trophy before me because they showed a lot of character. It's just as rewarding as any other trophy, but when you're young, that really isn't the one that you want to win," explained Théodore, who also won the Vezina and Hart trophies during the 2001-02 season with the Canadiens. "I never thought I'd win that trophy when I was playing in Washington. A combination of things led to it. In the summer of 2009, I spent my days in the hospital and I wasn't really training. I wasn't thinking about hockey, but the reality is that I still had responsibilities. I had a big contract with the Capitals and I was their starter. I still wanted to have a good season because I knew that no one was going to take pity on me. If you don't perform, you won't be playing in the NHL."

That's the way Théodore approached training camp that season
The former St. Jean Lynx (QMJHL) netminder focused on his job and took his mind off things by spending hours upon hours in arenas.
It was, in a way, his refuge to privately mourn his son's death.
"I used the rinks as a kind of sanctuary. Normally, I'd get there about an hour before practice and head home right away when I was done. That season, because I was often on my own and I wasn't talking to a lot of people, I'd arrive about two to three hours before practice. I'd spend time in the gym and watch videos. It was kind of a sanctuary that helped me forget all of my problems outside of hockey. I focused on hockey and it helped me forget my reality," mentioned Théodore. "When I found out that I was nominated for the Masterton Trophy, I was happy, but I was prouder of what I accomplished while dealing with a very tough situation. I'm not the type of guy who wants to be pitied, so I was very private about it. I didn't really talk about what happened. It was a very tough season, but winning the Masterton was a way of reminding myself of the good times."
The man behind the legendary celebration
During his two seasons in the District of Columbia, Théodore was a teammate of Alex Ovechkin.
In fact, he played a key role in one of the young Russian's defining on-ice moments.
Everybody remembers Ovechkin's celebration after becoming the first player in Capitals franchise history to register three 50-goal seasons, but few people know the backstory behind it.
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"We went out for dinner in Tampa the night before that game. We were with Nicklas Backstrom and Mike Green. Ovechkin said to us: 'If I score tomorrow, I have to do something cool. What should I do?' I told him: 'When you score, invite all of your teammates to join you. Put your stick on the ice and warm your hands, like your stick's on fire.' If you look at the replay, he signals to the guys, but nobody came over," said Théodore with a laugh. "After the celebration, I teased him because I'd shown him to rub his hands together to demonstrate that his stick was on fire, but he looked more like Beethoven playing piano. I told him: 'I tip my hat to you. You weren't afraid of doing it, but it wasn't what I had in mind.'"
Nevertheless, that moment has always been etched in the minds of fans everywhere.
The Alumni Lounge and Le Salon des Anciens podcasts feature in-depth interviews with some of the organization's most popular players of the past.
The inaugural season of the pod will include 10 episodes, which will alternate languages each week under two separate titles in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and other podcast hosting platforms.
They will also be available as full video episodes on the Canadiens' YouTube channel.