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Vokoun returns to Nashville, reflects on career

Sunday, 03.01.2015 / 11:05 AM / NHL Insider

By Robby Stanley - NHL.com Correspondent

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Vokoun returns to Nashville, reflects on career
Tomas Vokoun spent eight seasons with the Nashville Predators, where he said many of his fondest hockey memories were made.

NASHVILLE -- Longtime NHL goaltender Tomas Vokoun returned to Nashville this past week to be honored after spending eight seasons as a member of the Nashville Predators from 1998-2007.

Vokoun was honored by Nashville during its game Thursday against the Minnesota Wild and participated in an alumni game against the Detroit Red Wings alumni following Nashville’s game against Detroit on Saturday. Vokoun led Nashville’s alumni to a 9-8 shootout win.

Vokoun played in 700 games in 15 seasons before deciding to retire this past December. While there are some aspects of being an NHL player that he said he misses, Vokoun doesn’t have any regrets about making the decision to retire.

“When I was retiring, two things happened,” Vokoun said. “I still felt like I could have played at a high level, but I also understood the role I would have or the opportunities I had in the market, where I would kind of stand. I thought it was work for me to leave my family for eight months and being the guy who’s maybe a few months here and a few months there.

“Truthfully I’m not sure what my answer should be. I do not miss playing. I think I miss a lot of parts of being a hockey player and being with the guys every day and the comradery, traveling and all that. I do not miss dressing up every day and getting hit with the puck 700 times. When things aren’t going well, obviously a lot of pressure and stuff like that. I don’t have that now. I have different kinds of pressures.”

Vokoun played 383 games with the Predators and holds the franchise records for games played by a goaltender. He led Nashville to their first-ever playoff appearance in 2004, and said his time in Nashville is where most of the memories from his career were made.

“Most of the stuff obviously came from here,” Vokoun said. “Just being able to get into [the] NHL and then grow from a backup to starter. There’s lots of things I learned here and I went through here, disappointments and obviously success stories. I think as a Predator definitely would be the strongest one I will remember the most.”

Current Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne has already broken several franchise records held previously by Vokoun. Rinne didn’t spend a lot of time with Nashville during Vokoun’s tenure, but Vokoun said he remembers seeing Rinne for the first time in Finland during the NHL lockout in 2004-05.

“It was the year we drafted him and I saw him in the warmup and I was like ‘Oh my God,'” Vokoun said. “Back then there was no goalies big like that. It was just starting; that trend of like ‘Yeah of course you want to have a big guy. He can reach farther.’ It’s just like physics, right? But there was always that ‘Well, they couldn’t move as fast, big five-hole, or whatever.’ So when I saw him, I was like ‘Oh my God.'”

Vokoun also played for the Montreal Canadiens, Florida Panthers, Washington Capitals, and Pittsburgh Penguins during his career and went 300-288-57 with 35 ties, a 2.55 goals-against average, and a .917 save percentage. Vokoun led the Penguins to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2013.

“I did get to experience this and play in the Conference Finals,” Vokoun said. “It was fun. I know how it feels and how it’s like. That’s no difference if you’re there once or five times. Once you know the experience, you know it. It was great. When I was signing in Pittsburgh that was something I was looking for. That’s why I went there. I had different opportunities maybe with a bigger role for myself, and even financially better than that, but I wanted to play on a team where we were there to win.”

Vokoun has been busy spending time with his family since retirement. He still lives in Florida and has been helping out with his kids’ hockey program at school there. Vokoun said he’s enjoyed spending time with his family since he retired.

“Just being with the kids, normal life,” Vokoun said. “Started coaching a little bit. My kids go to prep school so I’ve just been helping with the program down there a little bit. I know a little bit about hockey, so it’s a good feel to stay in. That’s about it. It’s keeping me pretty busy.”

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