MONTREAL (AP) – The Canadiens re-signed goaltender Jose Theodore to a three-year, $16 million contract on Friday.

Theodore, who will turn 29 on Sept. 13, is entering his ninth season with the Canadiens. Montreal’s second choice, the 44th overall, in the 1994 entry draft, he played in a career-high 67 games with the Canadiens in 2003-04 and had a career-best 33 wins with a 2.27 goals-against average.

He won the Vezina (top goaltender) and Hart (MVP) trophies in 2002. In 315 regular-season NHL games, Theodore has a 2.52 goals-against average and .914 save percentage.

“It was always a goal for me to play with Montreal for many years,” said Theodore, who grew up in neighboring Laval.

Theodore could have accepted Montreal’s qualifying offer of about $4.5 million for 2005-06 and become a free agent next summer. But, he and general manager Bob Gainey wanted to get a deal done.

“It gives him the sense that we want him here,” Gainey said of the new deal.

Theodore will get $4.5 million this season, $5.5 million in 2006-07 and $6 million in 2007-08. He’ll be among the top six in pay among goaltenders.

During the NHL lockout last winter, Theodore played 17 games with Djurgardens in the Swedish Elite Division, posting a 2.46 goals-against average.

AP-ES-09-02-05 2016EDT


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