Of all the games being played tonight, the Canadiens-Avalanche match will attract the most attention, and I'm not just saying that as a Habs fan.

Jose Theodore, one-time franchise player of the Montreal Canadiens, returns to Montreal to face his former team for the first time since he was dealt to the Avalanche last March for David Aebischer.

His return is naturally sparking much interest from the Quebec media, who followed his life as closely as though they were following a soap opera, which in Theodore's case at times his life came to resemble just that.

From a photo showing him hanging out with Hell's Angels, to members of his family going to prison on loan-sharking charges, to his use of Propecia to his rather mysterious off-ice injury during last February's Olympic break, to his rumored reputation (along with former Habs Mike Ribeiro and Pierre Dagenais) as an off-ice carouser , Theodore's life often came to resemble something out of Dynasty, or the cheesy late-80s Quebec hockey soap opera, "Lance et Compte" ("He Shoots, He Scores").

On the ice, there was his 2002 Hart-Vezina-Crozier trophy season in which he carried an injury-decimated, rebuilding Canadiens team to its first playoff appearance in four years, his strong 2004 season and his strong play in the Swedish Elite League during the lockout.

Had Theodore carried over those strong performances into last season, he'd still be the Habs starting goaltender today. Unfortunately, his struggles to adjust to the new NHL rules combined with what appeared to be difficulty adjusting to new equipment and his off-ice dramas finally taxed the patience of GM Bob Gainey, who surprisingly found a taker for Theodore's supposedly untradeable expensive contract in the Avalanche one day before the trade deadline.

The Canadiens at first blush this season appear to have the better of the deal, as Aebischer this season regained his strong form that seemingly eluded him last season in Colorado, becoming a pillar of strength thus far between the Canadiens pipes. Theodore meanwhile has continued his maddeningly inconsistent play, looking strong one game and simply awful the next.

It's likely to be Aebischer in goal to face Theodore tonight, two goalies facing the teams that dumped them. Hopefully, it'll be an entertaining matchup.

May the best man win.

UPDATE: Montreal 8, Colorado 5.  Not a good game for either goalie but Aebischer gets the win.