That sounds like wanting to be declared the starter outright at the beginning of the season. He got that with the Capitals. He wouldn't have gotten it with the Wings.
Vokoun's ultimate choice makes it pretty clear what he wanted. Why would Boudreau have immediately announced him as the starter otherwise? He went to a contender cheap. He wanted the starting gig. He would go to a team that would give it to him outright over a team that would make him compete for it.
Why do you have any doubt whatsoever that Kenny DID tell him that? Why are you assuming that Kenny just told him "No"? That would be pretty damned stupid of Kenny, and Kenny isn't stupid.
Vokoun's two choices were as follows:
1) Sign with Washington and be the guaranteed starter.
2) Sign with Detroit and compete with Howard for the starting job, and risk being relegated to backup status.
Which option do you think was more attractive to him?
Right. It may sound like that, but these are all assumptions on your part, so I don't see why you go questioning someone's reading abilities or acting like Vokoun wanted a handout when nothing in the article confirms what you're saying. It's all just speculation.
Boudreau could just as well be announcing Vokoun as starter for publicity reasons after his team s*** the bed in the playoffs once again. With Vokoun they've got a proven goaltender in net (not much playoff experience but that's hardly his fault). That would make me happy if I were a Caps fan, knowing now we've got a promising young goaltender and a solid experienced one.
If a goalie as good as Vokoun takes a discount that big, it wouldn't be surprising he would want some guarantee in Washington of the starting gig, but who knows what the potential offer was to play in Detroit. Holland never even commented specifically on Vokoun.
And to be clear, I'm not assuming Holland just told him no. I don't know what went on at all in any of the negotiations, other than Vokoun signed with the capitals.
Again--if Holland could have gotten him, he would have. Vokoun had a choice between a guaranteed starting position and a starting position he'd need to compete for. I think that was an easy choice for him.
Because Holland can somehow get every single player he wants?
Again, you're making the assumption that Vokoun somehow ruled out signing with the Wings simply because he would not be guaranteed the starting job without having to compete for it. Unless there's some article out there I haven't seen, nothing Holland or Vokoun has said confirms that. It's all just speculation and quite likely that there were other factors involved in his decision, yet you're latching onto this one detail like there has to be some reason that makes Vokoun look bad, just because he didn't sign with Detroit.
Ultimately, who cares? He signed with Washington. I don't see why we need to invent a reason why he didn't play in Detroit.
Edited by haroldsnepsts, 13 July 2011 - 11:55 AM.
