Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner (90) makes a save during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas Friday, Feb. 28, 2020.
Published Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020 | 8:02 a.m.
Updated 1 hour, 59 minutes ago
Robin Lehner is the Golden Knights’ goalie of the future.
The 29-year-old goaltender has signed a five-year extension with Vegas at a $5 million cap hit, the team announced this morning.
Lehner arrived at the trade deadline from Chicago and split the remaining seven regular season games with incumbent Marc-Andre Fleury. Once the postseason began, it was clear who the team’s starting goalie was, as Lehner started 16 of 20 playoff games.
Reports surfaced during the postseason that Lehner had a handshake agreement with the team, but he denied those reports.
Lehner’s extension plunges Fleury’s future with the organization into uncertainty. The 35-year-old Fleury has been the unquestioned starting goalie and face of the franchise since he was an expansion draft pick in 2017.
But keeping two goalies will be difficult for a Vegas team already pushing the limits of the salary cap. Fleury has a $7 million cap hit for the next two seasons, and the Golden Knights could look to trade or buy out their popular goalie.
Lehner posted a .917 save percentage and 1.99 goals-against average in the postseason after similarly strong numbers in three regular season outings. He was a Vezina Trophy finalist as the league’s top goalie after the 2018-19 season.
Fleury had statistically his worst season in a decade with a .905 save percentage and 2.77 goals-against average.
