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Pens’ Vokoun out of hospital, no timetable for return

Tomas Vokoun

On Wednesday, the Penguins announced that goalie Tomas Vokoun had been released from hospital after undergoing a procedure to dissolve a blood clot in his pelvis.

Vokoun, 37, underwent the procedure on Saturday after noticing swelling in his thigh following practice. The decision was made for an immediate operation, and it was later announced Vokoun would be out indefinitely.

This isn’t the Czech netminder’s first bout with blood clotting issues.

In April 2006 he was diagnosed with pelvic thrombophlebitis, a rare blood condition that creates a multitude of blood clots. That ailment forced him to miss the remainder of the regular season and all of the playoffs.

It’s unclear if this current issue is related to the clotting problems of ’06. Pens GM Ray Shero told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review “it’s just too early to say,” noting further evaluation would be required.

With Vokoun out, the Pens added some goaltending depth earlier this week by signing journeyman Jeff Deslauriers to an AHL tryout deal.