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Tomas Vokoun has become one of the NHL's best at his position. 'He's a real solid goalie who can steal games,' Panthers center Brett McLean said.
BY GEORGE RICHARDS
grichards@MiamiHerald.com

When the Montreal Canadiens left Tomas Vokoun exposed in the 1998 expansion draft, it's doubtful they would have envisioned what he would become.

Now the starting goalie for the Panthers, Vokoun has established himself as one of the best in the league over the past few seasons. Vokoun, selected by Nashville in that expansion draft, was traded to the Panthers for three draft picks last month.

Vokoun, an All-Star in 2004 and an Olympian for the Czech Republic in 2006, was a ninth-round pick (226th overall) in the 1994 draft. He appeared in one game for the Canadiens before he made available to be selected by the Predators, an expansion team on which Vokoun would emerge as a star.

''It wasn't common for NHL teams to have European goalies when I broke in,'' he said last week. ``As a late draft pick, you definitely have to earn it. No one rolled out the red carpet for me when I came in.''

Vokoun didn't have his best season in 2006-07, when he was limited by an injured thumb. He was 27-12-4 with a 2.40 goals-against average and .920 save percentage in 44 games -- his lowest total played since the 2001-02 season, when he appeared in 29 games.

The Panthers are confident Vokoun is the answer to their question mark in net ever since Roberto Luongo was traded to Vancouver last summer. Although Alex Auld and Ed Belfour played well at times last season, the Panthers never played with the confidence of having an elite goalie in net.

They have one now.

''He's a real solid goalie who can steal games,'' said newly acquired center Brett McLean, who faced Vokoun four times a season as a member of the Colorado Avalanche. ``He's frustrated teams I've been on time and again. You want a high-end goalie who gives you a chance to win every night.''

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