Michal Neuvirth plays off rumoured gridlock between him and new addition Tomas Vokoun –NHL Update
At the age of 23, Michal Neuvirth might have established himself as one of the National Hockey League’s top-notch goalies, but by the addition of veteran defender, Tomas Vokoun, late during the free agency, speculations arose to who would be starting and
whether Neuvirth would react in a harsh way or not.
Neuvirth’s latest revelations on one of the NHL’s latest topics might have surprised some when he termed Vokoun’s coming as something he is excited for and looking forward to experience.
Washington Capitals general manager, George McPhee, had to take an initiative when his team, which finished at top position in the Eastern Conference, was easily thrown out of the playoffs by Tampa Bay Lightning, but Neuvirth felt it was for the best.
“When I started to think about it, I realized that it’s actually really great. He is a goalie I always looked up to”, Neuvirth said in an interview with a local Russian website “Yeah, that’s a pity,” he said to the Czech site. ”But I don’t care who is number
one and who is number two right now. Its summer, the season has not even begun. These talks don’t harm me at all. I’m going to camp with the same position as every year. I want to play as many games as possible, whether at the expense of Tomas Vokoun or Varly.
I just want to play”.
With 13 seasons of experience, Tomas Vokoun, a former 226th overall pick during round-nine of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft, will be most likely Washington’s starting goalie for the new season, something which has already been confirmed by Capitals
head coach, Bruce Boudreau.
Facing difficulties with re-signing with Florida Panthers, Tomas Vokoun became one of the hottest goalies on the free agency market, which Washington captured by offering a one-year, $1.5 million contract to.
Both Neuvirth and Vokoun should not be surprised to find out that they have more in common than previously thought. Coming from the Czech Republic, both goalies are from the same country, which might just create an unstoppable chemistry in the net for Washington,
a team which will use next season as a testing ground on whether to keep Vokoun or not.
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