The Vegas Golden Knights have been without Robin Lehner for two entire seasons due to injury. Vegas expected the goaltender to miss a third consecutive season, as well. Lehner is still not expected to suit up and skate this season. However, he also may not be on the Golden Knights roster for much longer.
The Golden Knights are reportedly considering a contract termination with Lehner, according to Daily Faceoff insider Frank Seravalli. This stems from Lehner having missed a mandatory pre-season medical exam. The Golden Knights have consulted with the NHL while the league is in contact with the NHLPA on this matter.
“The NHL-NHLPA Collective Bargaining Agreement stipulates that injured players, even those who have been on LTIR for multiple seasons, must undergo a medical exam at the start of every season they are under contract that confirms they are unfit to play. The player can then be placed on the long-term injury list at the team’s discretion and seek cap relief, if required,” Seravalli wrote on Wednesday.
What comes next for Robin Lehner, Golden Knights
Robin Lehner has not played in the NHL since April of 2022. The Golden Knights have placed him on long-term injury reserve in each of the last two seasons. However, as Seravalli wrote, each injured player has to take a pre-season medical exam to confirm their ineligibility to play.
Lehner failing to report to training camp on Wednesday makes this a bit of a high stakes situation. Since it's clear he did not report, the veteran goaltender could forfeit his entire $4.5 million salary. Additionally, the Golden Knights could rid themselves of his $5 million cap hit without the need of long-term injured reserve.
Lehner joined the Golden Knights during the 2019-20 season. He skated in 66 games for the NHL's third-youngest franchise, winning 39 of them. He played to a .910 save percentage while recording three shutouts for Vegas, as well.
Lehner did go on a long playoff run in 2020 with the Golden Knights. However, he was not on the roster when the team finally won the Stanley Cup. Vegas defeated the Florida Panthers in the 2023 Stanley Cup Final, a little more than a year after Lehner's most recent game in the NHL.
It's unclear whether Lehner will make a return to the ice in the future. Either way, he may not be a member of the Golden Knights if he does make a full recovery from this injury. This is a situation Vegas fans should monitor in the days and weeks ahead.
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