Former Montreal Canadien Jose Theodore has been dumped by his girlfriend after she found out about an apparent weekend tryst he had with hotel heiress and socialite Paris Hilton.

TQS, a French-language television network, reported on Thursday that Stephanie Cloutier ended her relationship with Theodore and gave the Colorado Avalanche goaltender the boot from their Montreal home after learning of his apparent indiscretion.

According to Le Journal de Montreal, Cloutier and Theodore were in Toronto on the weekend to pick up their three-month-old daughter who had been hospitalized since her premature birth.

While they were in town, Theodore took time out from his familial obligations to escort Hilton, who starred in TV's The Simple Life, to a Toronto awards ceremony.

The two were later seen in what appeared to be a passionate embrace at a restaurant, and CTV's eTalk obtained pictures of the pair holding hands.

Cloutier had already endured seeing her father, ex-impresario Guy Cloutier, imprisoned for sexually abusing former child star Nathalie Simard in 2004, according to The Canadian Press.

The new developments cast doubt on Theodore and Cloutier's plan to spend the summer in Denver, where he purchased a home after his mid-season trade from Montreal to Colorado.

It's been a rough year for Theodore all around. Besides the most recent developments in his personal life and the premature birth of his daughter, he tested positive for Propecia, a banned substance, earlier in the season.

Adding insult to injury, the Canadiens' team physician told reporters Theodore had been taking the hair growth drug for eight or nine years.

Dr. David Mulder said Propecia can be used as a masking agent to cover up nandrolone, a powerful anabolic steroid, though it has no performance-enhancing effects on its own.

Mulder was adamant Theodore was not taking steroids, but the allegations appeared to take a toll on the goaltender, who has been a fan favourite since he started tending net for the Habs in 1994 when he was first drafted to the NHL.

In 2004, prior to the drug testing controversy, Theodore's father and half-brother pleaded guilty to charges of loansharking and possession of a restricted weapon.

In February 2005, Ted Theodore, 71, was given a $30,000 fine, but no jail time.

Recently, commentators have observed that Theodore seems to have lost some of his trademark cockiness and confidence.

With files from The Canadian Press