It was but another in a string of preseason games, but has there been an exhibition game with almost as many story lines as there are colors in the trees around Quebec City at this time of year?

	Theodore is Montreal's first league MVP since Guy Lefleur in 1978.

The Montreal Canadiens and the Colorado Avalanche met in Quebec City on Saturday night, a return of the franchise that was once the Nordiques to its roots inside the quaintly beautiful walled city.

It also brought back Avalanche goaltender Patrick Roy to his hometown and where he was no doubt a central figure in what was an emotional return to the Colisee Pepsi, which sold out in two hours for this game.

But the richness of the province's hockey past also intersected with the future as Canadiens goaltender Jose Theodore, the reigning league MVP and owner of the Vezina Trophy, crossed paths with Roy, his childhood idol. Roy is nearing the end of his glittering career, a certain Hall of Famer, a man responsible for changing the way the position was played, for changing the way the position was perceived.

With Roy earning the nickname St. Patrick while leading the Habs almost single-handedly to Stanley Cups in 1986 and 1993, blue chip athletes in the province no longer wanted to be the high-scoring forward, the next Guy Lafleur, but the next Patrick Roy.

Theodore, building a noteworthy career of his own, was one of them while growing up in suburban Montreal.

"I don't like to compare myself to a guy like Patrick Roy," Theodore told reporters during training camp. "He did so much for the Canadiens. When I was young, the thing what I appreciated the most was he was very strong under pressure."

That quality has marked Theodore's performance in the league so far, particularly last year when he led the Canadiens to their first playoff spot in four years and a first-round upset of the first-place Boston Bruins. What he has done for the Canadiens on the ice is obvious. He hasn't replaced Roy -- who could? -- but he has once again given the Canadiens a bona fide French-Canadian star at a time when they desperately need one. The Habs need to be ever mindful of the French-Canadian content on their team. No one with the organization would ever admit it publicly, but there has always been the belief that a French-Canadian player always gets the benefit of the doubt when it comes down to a choice between him and an Anglo. It is not the case now, but there was a time when Les Canadiens embodied the pride of the Quebecois people. Maurice Richard's popularity in the province transcended that of a hockey star, and the star of the Canadiens was often the biggest star in the National Hockey League.

There had been an uninterrupted ascension to that throne, from Richard to Beliveau to Lafleur to Roy, but after Roy's departure there was a void. Theodore is now poised to fill it.

The popularity of the native Montrealer is rocketing, fueled by his on-ice success, his disarming personality and his good looks. His face jumps out from the pages of the October issue of GQ magazine as he chomps on a puck with his pearly whites while sporting a $1,995 leather jacket by Prada Sport.

He's been rumored to have signed a deal with New York-based Q Models, a spokesman for which told : "Jose Theodore is one hell of a hottie." But Theodore denied he's branching out into the modeling business.

"He's popular because of the way he's playing and he's got that charisma. It's in his blood," said Canadiens general manager Andre Savard, who signed Theodore to a three-year, $13 million contract on the eve of camp. "Outside of the game, he reminds me of Bobby Orr. (Orr) was nice to everybody. (Theodore) is patient with everybody. It comes naturally to him. He stays humble, too."

	“	He's popular because of the way he's playing and he's got that charisma. It's in his blood. ”
		— Andre Savard, Canadiens general manager

Theodore is promising his new contract won't change him on or off the ice or the way he approaches the game.

"I will be the same goaltender," he said. "I will be the Theodore you've seen for the last three years. I see myself having the same kind of season (as last year).

"I was more emotional signing signing my last contract for two years that gave me a salary of $1 million and $1.6 million. It was at that moment that I realized that was a lot of money for playing hockey. This time, the market conditions dictated my salary. There were no big surprises.

"The money won't change me with my parents or my friends. I didn't need anybody's pity before signing this contract. I'm going to keep my two feet solidly on the ground and constantly remember what got me that salary."

What got him that salary was extra time on the ice with Canadiens goaltending coach Roland Melanson, refining technique. Theodore is not a big man (listed at a generous 5-11) and while he is genuine off the ice, he is an illusion on it. It is an illusion he and Melanson have worked hard to create.

"The butterfly style is essential to being successful, but a lot of kids overplay it," said Melanson. "We have worked on making him less predictable. He's not 6-2 and able to use his size to make up for his mistakes. He has to be almost technically flawless to have success.

"At 5-11, we have to make him play bigger, make him look bigger. We brought his hands up, brought his back up. We made him less vulnerable to going down early. We've worked on reading the play, watching video and making percentage plays. We have simple little by-laws we follow. We don't expect to win every game, but we expect him to give us a chance to win."

That is a tall order for a little goalie.

But the Theodore mystique is growing, on and off the ice.

Chris Stevenson covers the NHL for the Ottawa Sun and is a frequent contributor to ESPN.com.