Goaltender Robin Lehner will carry a $0 cap hit for the Golden Knights this season, reports Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff. They’d reportedly been exploring options to terminate his contract after he failed to report for his pre-training camp physical, which Lehner said was pre-planned.
The 33-year-old is entering the final season of a five-year, $25MM contract, but he’s missed all of the last two seasons after undergoing double hip surgery. He was expected to remain on long-term injured reserve for all of the 2024-25 campaign as well, but Vegas couldn’t have placed him there without him failing a physical.
Since he didn’t report, Vegas was in a tricky situation, requiring the league and NHLPA to step in. They’ve now reached a resolution that will still involve Lehner receiving his $4.4MM salary for this season, per Seravalli, but he’ll effectively be suspended without pay as it relates to Vegas’ salary cap picture.
That takes a ton of workload off general manager Kelly McCrimmon’s plate. The Golden Knights would have had no issues starting the season with a cap-compliant roster with Lehner on LTIR, but that wouldn’t have allowed them to accrue cap space throughout the year. They’ll now be able to accrue space by operating without LTIR. It’ll be a significant amount of flexibility, too – with a full roster, they’ll have $1.36MM in projected space on opening night with Lehner essentially off the books, per PuckPedia.
At this stage, if it wasn’t already, Lehner’s NHL career should be considered over. The Swedish netminder made 364 appearances in parts of 12 seasons with the Senators, Sabres, Knights, Islanders, and Blackhawks, posting a strong .917 career SV% and 2.71 GAA with a 152-141-49 record and 17 shutouts.
Vegas with LTIR shenanigans? Sounds about right
Seems more to be that you don’t understand that the salary cap was collectively bargained and they are getting relief for a player who is injured long term. A bunch of you who apparently don’t like all the winning that Vegas does continue to imagine them committing crimes against the hockey world that really aren’t happening. That said, your paranoid clan is entertaining!
I guess you didn’t read the article doghockey… they are not “getting relief for a player who is injured long term.” That’s the whole point. He’s still getting paid but they just get to dump his contract. The closest thing I can think of is Byfuglien… but he had to walk away from the money… Robin Lehner doesn’t.
We get the principle. What most of us don’t believe is that Lehner is actually injured.
Believe whatever you want. The man hasn’t played in years.
@doghockey
I saw the headline and immediately came to the comment section to see what butthurt Vegas cap circumvention apologist nonsense you had posted. I didn’t leave disappointed.
His career is basically over. Is he faking that to give Vegas cap space?
That’s funny. I came by to see the conspiracy theorists lose their minds. I guess we both got what we wanted.
Vegas Golden Childs.
It seems to me… and that’s not worth much… either Robin doesn’t want to play (or Vegas doesn’t want him to play) but he wants the money.
OR
Robin can’t play, but the Knights want the cap space.
OR
A combination of the above. I can’t think of another option.
If he’s unfit to play… LTIR.
If he’s fit to play but doesn’t… terminate the contract.
It sounds like either cheating or charity… one or the other.
Cool. Legal cap circumventing. If he’s paid, he should count against the camp
How convenient for both player and organization. So hopefully all the other organizations and players have seen how this new precedent works and will act accordingly.
Habs and Price should be calling NHL head office to request the same deal…
Lehrer will start when the playoffs begin
Lehner hasn’t played in years. He’s not coming back.
“Lehner said it was pre-planned”. This is so lame. Some people will do anything for power, and we should know by now that only degrades the rest of the system. Weak ass look from all involved decision makers.
Honest question: What’s going on here? I can’t think of any scenario that makes sense.
I don’t hate the Golden Knights and I’ve got a lot of respect for Robin Lehner.
Best random guess…
Lehner is healthy enough to pass a physical showing that he’s no longer injured but is FAR from being in shape to play pro sports AND/OR is mentally checked out and has no interest in playing but obviously still wants paid so…both sides want this outcome.
If he shows up and passes his physical, VGK is on the hook for his cap hit which they can’t manage and don’t want him back as a player, so they don’t want that. If he shows up and passes his physical, Lehner has to ride the busses and pine in the AHL or even ECHL to get his money, so he does not want that.
Sounds reasonable.
But well, that’s exactly the scenario why they have mutual terminations, isn’t it?
If the Golden Knights still feel they should pay him for anything, they could easily appoint him as Special Advisor of the Assistant for European scouting or whatever role they come up with.
@Grocery stick
I assume the organization doesn’t want him anywhere near them and he probably isn’t capable of any sort of responsibility… even if it is a bogus position.
I think Vegas and the NHL are probably trying to head off the embarrassment of Lehner going off on another rant… so just pay him. For a while the “media” really applauded how outspoken he was… and then came the thing with the snakes… nevermind.
Exactly. D*head at Buffalo .. $22 million in debt, bankruptcy.. tweets in 2021:
“He accused the Sabres of mismanaging an ankle injury when he played here in Buffalo.”
“He also claims teams give players sedatives and anxiety pills without a doctor’s consent.”
Lesson here kids: be a wacko and people will pay you to leave …
So it’s a buyout. Except bettman will never enforce the cap penalties on vegas. Great.
Holy man Vegas get nothing but help from the league