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Patrick Roy from Colorado is first with $8.5 million dollars. Curtis Joseph reached for bucks as he will start the season as a new Red Wing, with $8 million dollars. Martin Brodeur from the Devils doesn't envy anyone with his $7 million dollars per year. Ed Belfour, in fourth place, will be happy in Toronto with $6.5 million dollars. As for Olaf Kolzing from Washington, he is entitled to a salary of $6 million dollars.

Theodore follows with $5.5 million, leaving the last remaining four places in the Top 10 highest-paid goalies to Mike Richter (Rangers), Chris Osgood (Islanders), Felix Potvin (Kings), and Roman Cechmanek (Flyers), with salaries between from $4.0 to $3.5 million dollars.

Theodore's contract was talked about in bars, schools, and workplaces in Quebec and Canada. It has been everybody's subject, although not everyone is a hockey fan. Why? Why do we talk about it? Not because of hockey, but because of the money. Everybody craves money. A fan in a Montreal pub mentioned to a TV reporter, "It seems like salaries rocketed to the sky over the last 10 years." It does not seem like it, it is a fact. The previous highest-paid Habs player was Mark Recchi in 1998-1999 with a salary of $4 million dollars.

Not all of us are paid in millions to do what we love the most in life. Habs fans are especially not used of seeing so much money put on one player. This mentality differs from Colorado, Detroit, and Rangers fans, who do not consider money as an issue.

Theodore's pay check has even been compared to salaries earned my minimum-wage employees, nurses, and teachers. Why? Simple: Quebec has enormous financial strains in manufacturing (which brings regular massive job cuts), as well as in education and especially health, where we are used to wait 8 to 10 hours in a hospital to consult a physician, himself/herself the victim of major cuts. A vicious circle in which economy, empathy, and leisure are not compatible.

"It is unbearable to think that such players earn more than a group of dedicated nurses, to see all that money given to only one guy. What about the poor and the needy of our society?" mentioned one angry female customer. "That is the sport," replied one male immediately. "I cannot go to games because it's expensive, but I watch it on TV. And if it was my son who was negotiating such a contract, I would tell him to get the maximum. We would all do that."

That is a crucial point. If hockey follows the same downward spiral experienced by baseball and basketball, where will it end? Not all hockey players forced the way into millions extravaganza, the business did. And if no money should be invested in sports, forget the Olympics, golf, tennis, and football.

Theodore is perfectly aware of that matter, coming from a Quebec used to tight the money in order to get the deficit down. The agents work. It is the agents' responsibility to represent their clients, just like lawyers. We find their fees outrageous, but if we need one, we'll pay for it.

"We needed Theo with us, he is the future of the team. We had to concede matters so that Theo could stay in Montreal. He's performing better and better. We are glad this is over," said coach Michel Therrien. Easier said than done.

Theodore was a little evasive when asked if his salary was "justified." But he got a hold of himself and added, "Sure, this is a lot of money. But even the lowest-paid NHL player still has a lot of money." That player was Tom Poti from the New York Rangers (all N/A salaries excluded) who earn $92.50 in 2001-2002. Any takers?

Now that Theo's contract and social issues have been settled and discussions continue to pour in every fan's living room regarding salaries most of us will never make, let's just hope that our players who negotiate what they deserve will offer us the season we all deserve. Let's just give a hand to the sport, cheer for our favorites, and enjoy the skating and goaling techniques. Referees, get your act together and oh ... no violence, please.

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