Montreal Canadiens: History of NHL Award winners in the 2000’s
By Omar L
World-Class Goalie
After bouncing between the NHL and AHL, Jose Theodore was ready to make the transition full time in 1999. The second-round pick shared the net with Jeff Hacket that season. But the net was his alone the following year.
Theodore played 53 games in his first full season with the Montreal Canadiens posting a 20-29-5 record, and .909 save percentage. He also had two shutouts falling three shy of his total from the year before. However, he made history with one of them.
In a game against the New York Islanders, Theodore scored into an empty net off a defensive zone clear. He would be the sixth goalie to do so, but the first to have done with while coming off a shutout.
Theodore took his talents to new heights in the 2001-02 season. He led the Montreal Canadiens to the playoffs with a league-leading .931 save percentage. The Laval native also made 1836 saves, the most of any goaltender that season. The Habs made the playoffs as the eighth-seed that season, but they were able to upset the Boston Bruins and make it on to the next season.
At the NHL Awards that following summer, Theodore walked away with both the Hart Memorial and Vezina trophies being recognized as the league’s top goaltender and the most important player to his team.
What stood out the most from Theodore’s performance that season was his Goals Saved Above Average (GSAA). The stat shows how many goals were prevented specifically because of the talents of the netminder. That season, Theodore directly stopped nearly 46 goals!