Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tomas Vokoun, who recently underwent surgery to dissolve a blood clot, will miss 3-6 months, general manager Ray Shero said Wednesday.
NHL INSIDER
Penguins have new questions in net
By Corey Masisak - NHL.com Staff WriterThomas Vokoun's blood clot procedure leaves the Pittsburgh Penguins with a big hole in their goaltending depth. READ MORE ›
Shero said the Penguins will re-evaulate Vokoun after three months and that he can remain active during that time period.
"Physically he's doing great. Mentally he's doing great, which is good news," Shero said. "(Vokoun) will be on blood thinning medicine. During this time he's OK to work out and do everything except play hockey. We'll evaluate this as we go along.
"The most important thing for Tomas and for us is his short-term health and long-term health. He's in good hands."
The loss of Vokoun, who became the starter for the Penguins during the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs after Marc-Andre Fleury endured a rough first round against the New York Islanders, leaves the Penguins with rookie Jeff Zatkoff as the backup.
Vokoun went 13-4-0 with a 2.45 goals-against average and .919 save percentage in 20 games during the regular season. He won six of his first seven postseason appearances prior to the Penguins getting swept by the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Final.
"Right now I'm not thinking about my career or playing hockey, I'm more worried about long-term health," Vokoun, 37, said. "I've gotten great care from the doctors and the team. Top professionals are giving me advice.
"I know where I stand. I'm going with the short term. Three months is a minimum. After that I'll evaluate where I am. The doctors will monitor my health and progress. Then I'll make my decision."
Shero said there are no plans to bring in another goalie at this time, despite Zatkoff having no prior NHL experience.
NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup, the Stanley Cup Playoffs logo, the Stanley Cup Final logo, Center Ice name and logo, NHL Conference logos, NHL Winter Classic name, and The Biggest Assist Happens Off The Ice are registered trademarks and Vintage Hockey word mark and logo, The Game Lives Where You Do, NHL Winter Classic logo, NHL Heritage Classic name and logo, NHL Stadium Series name and logo, NHL All-Star logo, NHL Face-Off name and logo, NHL. TV, NHL Premium, NHL After Dark, NHL GameCenter, NHL GameCenter LIVE, NHL Network name and logo, NHL Tonight name and logo, On The Fly, NHL Awards name and logo, NHL Draft name and logo, Hockey Fights Cancer, Because It's The Cup, NHL Green name and logo, NHL Vault, Hockey Is For Everyone, NHL Thanksgiving Showdown name and logo, NHL Centennial Classic name and logo, NHL Centennial Season logo, NHL100 Classic name and logo, NHL Global Series name and logo, NHL China Games name and logo, and Don't Miss A Moment are trademarks of the National Hockey League. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. © NHL 2018. All Rights Reserved. All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. The Zamboni word mark and configuration of the Zamboni ice resurfacing machine are registered trademarks of Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. © Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. 2018. All Rights Reserved. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.