Capitals get José Théodore, re-sign Green
Last Updated: Tuesday, July 1, 2008 | 3:28 PM ET
CBC Sports
Jose Theodore regained his form in 2007-08 with Colorado. (Andy King/Associated Press)José Théodore has landed with the Washington Capitals, signing a two-year deal on Tuesday.
The unrestricted free agent finished with a 2.44 goals-against average and .910 save percentage as well as three shutouts in 52 games last season with Colorado.
Théodore, who will turn 32 in September, will earn $9 million US over the duration of the deal. He earned $6 million US the past season, the last year of a lucrative deal he signed with the Montreal Canadiens.
Théodore enjoyed a career year with Montreal in 2002, winning the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player and the Vezina Trophy as best goalie.
The netminder bounced back last season after struggling between 2005 and 2007. He was dealt to Colorado by Montreal just before the 2006 trade deadline, and lost his starting job to Peter Budaj for a time.
Théodore has recorded 26 shutouts and a 2.65 goals-against average in 444 career games after being selected in the second round by the Canadiens in the 1994 draft.
Washington acquired Cristobal Huet from the Canadiens at February's trade deadline but was unable to reach a deal with the unrestricted free agent. The Capitals also parted ways at season's end with veteran Olaf Kolzig, the club's starter for more than a decade until the arrival of Théodore.
The Capitals earlier locked up their op defenceman. Washington re-signed rearguard Mike Green to a $21-million US, four-year deal, which prevents the restricted free agent from being exposed to an offer sheet from another team.
Green gets more bucks
Green, 22, will earn an average of $5.25 million per season, a substantial raise from the $850,000 he earned last season.
The Calgary native led all NHL defencemen with 18 goals in 82 games last season — just his second full campaign in the league. Green also led the Capitals in ice time at 23:38 per game and was seventh in league scoring among defencemen with 56 points.
"Mike has developed into an impact defenceman in the short time since we drafted him, and he will be a key part of our team moving forward," Caps general manager George McPhee said in a statement. "We look forward to his further contributions as we continue to improve the hockey club.'
Green was also a standout for Canada at the recent world championships — scoring four goals and eight assists in nine games — and is considered a contender to make the country's defensive corps for the 2010 Olympics.
Other NHL teams could have attempted to sign Green to an offer sheet as of 12 p.m. ET Tuesday.
With files from the Canadian Press
