The Washington Capitals have traded the negotiating rights to goaltender Tomas Vokoun to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a seventh-round draft pick in the 2012 NHL Draft. Vokoun has since signed a two-year, $4 million contract with the Penguins.
Vokoun, who signed a one-year contract with Washington last summer, went 25-17-2 with a 2.51 GAA and .917 SV% in 48 regular season games. Vokoun joined the Caps last summer because he believed that they would contend for a Stanley Cup, but he did not play in the postseason after aggravating a nagging groin injury March 29.
With the emergence of Braden Holtby and Michal Neuvirth behind him, Vokoun was expendable, though he made it clear upon the Caps' elimination from the Stanley Cup Playoffs that he did not intend on returning to Washington.
Adam Vingan is co-founder and editor of Kings Of Leonsis, a Caps-centric blog. Follow him on Twitter @Adam_KOL and e-mail your story ideas to adamvingan (at) gmail.com.
