théodore played major junior in the qmjhl for four seasons with the st-jean lynx and hull olympiques. at age 16, he began his major junior rookie season in 1992–93, splitting goaltending duties with jean-pascal lemelin. he assumed the starting position the following season in 1993–94, recording a 3.61 goals against average (gaa) with a 20–29–6 record. théodore was drafted that off-season by the montreal canadiens 44th overall in the 1994 nhl entry draft.