The Biggest Steal of Free Agency

Entering free agency on
July 1^st, Tomas Vokoun was regarded as arguably the best netminder available, but while Philly signed Ilya Bryzgalov, Colorado snapped up Semyon Varlamov, Tampa Bay re-signed Dwayne Roloson and Phoenix went the economical route with Mike Smith, Vokoun found himself without a team or contract. It certainly looked bleak for the twelve year veteran but instead of returning to Florida, he waited for an offer from a team with a better supporting cast. A day later, on his 35^th birthday no less, an offer finally rolled around in the form of a 1 year, 1.5 million dollar contract from the Washington Capitals. The deal is mutually beneficial as it provides Vokoun a chance to play for Lord Stanley and the Capitals a veteran goalie at a bargain bin price.

While the market for Vokoun had dried up, it was by no means a slight on his playing abilities. Since the lockout, Vokoun has recorded a save percentage of .918 or better in each of the six seasons while no other goalie has surpassed that mark more than four times. Putting up these numbers in a mediocre system such as Florida’s is no small feat considering, over the past two years, the Panthers have ranked 27^th and 28^th in league scoring, putting up an average of 2.39 goals per game.

It may also seem easy to critique Vokoun’s inability to win the games that truly matter in the post-season, but in two trips to the playoffs, the Czech backstopper posted quality numbers – a 2.00 goals against average and .939 save percentage in six games against Detroit in 2004, and a 2.96 GAA and .902 SV% in five games against San Jose, though both trips came as a member of a much more defensively sound Predators squad.

Naturally, none of this guarantees that Vokoun will be the saving grace of a Washington club that hasn’t managed to escape the second round since 1998 but at the very least, it provides themselves with the opportunity to let talented young netminders Michal Neuvirth and Braden Holtby develop – as backup goalie for the former and AHL starter for the latter.

One thing’s for sure; the deal is one of the biggest steals of the offseason. In a worst case scenario, Vokoun is unable to transfer his Floridian heroics to the nation’s capital and is let go at the end of the season with a tandem of Neuvirth and Holtby taking over duties the following year; at best, Vokoun is the final addition needed to solidify Washington as a post-season threat as they manage to capture the ever elusive first Stanley Cup in franchise history.