panoo

TSN.ca Staff
6/25/2007 11:10:25 AM

Tomas Vokoun was shocked to have his vacation interrupted by the news he had been traded nine days before a no-trade clause was set to kick into his contract, but told the local press in Nashville that he understands what the Predators are doing.

"I didn't get any suggestion it might happen from (Predators general manager David Poile) at the end of the season it might happen, so it was definitely a shock," Vokoun told the Tennessean.

"It is a business and it's nothing I can control," Vokoun said. "It's not David's fault. He's there to have the best team possible with the resources he has. That's what he's trying to do. It's probably better to trade me as one player than three other players."

Poile told the Nashville City Paper that he was still confident the team would be good next year, despite the obvious payroll strategy.

"We are not dealing on a level playing field right now," Poile said. "We are going to have to be a lower payroll team this year based on the circumstances within our franchise. As a manager I can sulk about it or pout about it or I can go about making sure we are competitive as possible."

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