Stars and Sticks
Fansided

Capitals April Fools: Top 5 worst free agent signings ever

By Michael Marzzacco

NEWARK, NJ - SEPTEMBER 29: Michael Nylander of the Washington Capitals passes the puck during the game against the New Jersey Devils on September 29, 2008 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEWARK, NJ - SEPTEMBER 29: Michael Nylander of the Washington Capitals passes the puck during the game against the New Jersey Devils on September 29, 2008 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 6
Next
WINNIPEG, CANADA – MARCH 16: Goaltender Tomas Vokoun #29 of the Washington Capitals squirts water on his face during a break in the action in a game against the Winnipeg Jets in NHL action at the MTS Centre on March 16, 2012 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Marianne Helm/Getty Images)
WINNIPEG, CANADA – MARCH 16: Goaltender Tomas Vokoun #29 of the Washington Capitals squirts water on his face during a break in the action in a game against the Winnipeg Jets in NHL action at the MTS Centre on March 16, 2012 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Marianne Helm/Getty Images) /

#3 Tomas Vokoun

Tomas Vokoun was a veteran netminder the Capitals tried to experiment with in the 2011-12 season. He went 25-17-2 with a 2.51 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage. This was a downgrade from Semyon Varlamov in my honest opinion.

The Caps signed him to a one-year, $1.5 million deal in the summer of 2011 coming off back-to-back 28 loss seasons. Not good. Why would they go that route is the question. Maybe because Jose Theodore didn’t quite work out. But you also had Michal Neuvirth and a guy who would go on to be a legend in these parts in Braden Holtby.

Vokoun was drafted in the ninth round at 226th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1994 NHL Draft. He spent 15 years on five different teams. Eight of those seasons were in Nashville with the Predators while the next four were with the Florida Panthers.

As a Predator he went 161-159-46 while with the Panthers he was 101-108-30. What were the Caps thinking in acquiring a goaltender that was above average at best?

Of course, after his time in D.C. was up he finished his career as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Never a good look when you sign a player for a season only for them to wind up with your rival the next.

Home/Editorials