Tomas Vokoun



The Pittsburgh Penguins have acquired goaltender Tomas Vokoun from the Washington Capitals in exchange for a 2012 seventh-round draft pick, it was announced today by executive vice president and general manager Ray Shero.

The Penguins then signed Vokoun to a two-year contract worth an average annual value of $2 million. Vokoun’s contract begins with the 2012-13 season and runs through the 2013-14 campaign.

Vokoun, 35, recently completed his 13th NHL season with Washington, posting a 25-17-2 record, 2.51 goals-against average, .917 save percentage and four shutouts in 48 games. One of Vokoun’s shutouts was a 30-save performance in a 1-0 victory over the Penguins on Jan. 11 at the Verizon Center.

A native of Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic, Vokoun’s 25 victories this season marked the ninth-straight season he has surpassed the 20-win plateau. During that span, Vokoun has topped 25 wins seven times, including three seasons when he has posted 30-plus victories.

The 6-foot-1, 210-pound Vokoun enters the 2012-13 season ranked sixth among active netminders with 287 career victories – leaving him 13 shy of becoming just the 31st goaltender in NHL history to reach 300 career wins.

Vokoun has appeared in 401 games since the NHL returned from the lockout in 2005-06, the eight-highest total during that span, while also posting 36 shutouts – an average of 5.1 per season. Over the last four seasons, the two-time NHL All-Star (2004, ’08) has posted a .923 save percentage.

Originally drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the ninth round (226th overall) of the 1994 NHL Draft, Vokoun has a career record of 287-284-78, along with a 2.55 goals-against average, .917 save percentage and 48 shutouts in 680 games with Montreal, Nashville, Florida and Washington.

Vokoun has also starred internationally on several occasions for his native Czech Republic. Last spring, Vokoun went 7-1 with a 1.57 goals-against average while helping the Czechs win the 2010 World Championship. He also led the Czechs to a gold medal at the 2005 World Championship, during which he went 7-1 with a 1.08 goals-against average. At the 2006 Turino Olympic Games, Vokoun backstopped the Czechs to a bronze medal.