As anticipated for nearly a month now, the Vegas Golden Knights and goaltender Robin Lehner have agreed to a five-year, $25MM contract extension. The deal has been officially announced with plenty of social media fanfare in typical Knights fashion. Lehner would have been a free agent and highly sought-after commodity when the market opened next Friday, but instead will stay in Las Vegas. PuckPedia reports that the deal breaks down as follows:
2020-21: $1MM salary, $2MM signing bonus, eight-team NTC
2021-22: $5MM salary, eight-team NTC
2022-23: $6.5MM salary, eight-team NTC
2023-24: $6MM salary, five-team NTC
2024-25: $4.5MM salary, five-team NTC
This new deal is a win-win for both sides. Despite playing at an elite level for the past three seasons, Lehner has only landed one-year contracts and played for fours different team in that span. His goal has always been to find a long-term home and his fit with Vegas has been obvious. At a $5MM AAV, this deal may not be at the top of Lehner’s potential market value, but it provides him with security and the chance to compete for a Stanley Cup each year. As for the Knights, goaltending was not considered a major area of need when the team acquired Lehner at the trade deadline as the intended backup to Marc-Andre Fleury, but it would have become an issue down the road as the 35-year-old Fleury neared the end of his contract with his play continuing to slip. Vegas has merely solved their problem in net before it had a chance to occur. Of course, Fleury’s days with the team are now numbered as Vegas likely cannot afford to keep both goalies, even at a very fair price for Lehner. With limited cap space this off-season, the Golden Knights will have to move their veteran keeper and officially hand the starting job to Lehner.
The other player impacted by this deal is UFA-to-be Jacob Markstrom. With the 29-year-old Lehner off the market, the 30-year-old Markstrom is now the clear-cut best available free agent goalie and will see an increase in his leverage to command a term and salary that could come in higher than Lehner’s.
TSN’s Frank Seravalli was to the first to report that the deal had been agreed upon to earlier today.
Ok Marc pack your bags.
Heh, “limited cap space” is one way to put it.
Vegas has negative cap space at this point. They are one player short of the bare minimum roster of 20 players, and are already over the cap.
MAF seems like the obvious guy to trade, but how on earth do they trade a declining 35 year old goalie with a $7M cap hit, and $12.5M still owed in salary?
Between the glut of goalies and teams looking to cut salary… man, that is going to be a tough contract to move.
How do you hold on to 2 guys making 12M. You could move others guys. I wonder who gets traded. Maybe Marc’s cups help someone. Vet Goalie.Crazy off season for goalies for sure
All the flower fans must be still crying over this signing. Hockey management in Vegas seen the writing on the wall with flower this season. GMGM shot the team in the foot giving Fleury that raise and term. They’ve got no takers on his contract yet and may have to buy him out. People need to realize that Fleury will continue to decline and that the team is better off going in another direction. The fact that no one is banging down the door for Fleury’s services is proof that his best days are behind him and a decrease in pay might land him a job if he’s bought out. Pittsburgh could sign him again if they want lol
He was overlooked bad in free agency last year espically by the Islanders. Good to see him get the deal he deserves.
Mr BABER how can Montreal do it with two making 15 Mil I would hold the boat on the flower packing his bags because if Lehner doesn’t pan out and is there just for the big money deal you have option number 2..and by the way Vegas can do it with two making that money by getting rid of players that they don’t need and bring up kids that are ready to play… Just remember Fleury holds all the cards… Not the s**t heads in Vegas…
Habs are not a playoff team without Carey. Might not be one with him.Lvs has 17.2 % cap in 2 guys. If you can work it out good. Just show me how.I know you have some nice young d men. Your forwards are a bit long in the tooth.
It’s not immediately obvious who those names would be on the Knights.
They would need to clear about $1M to get under the cap while adding another league minimum guy to reach the necessary 20 players. To get to a full 23 man roster would mean moving out a little over $3M in order to add 4 guys on league minimum contracts.
It really seems like moving out MAF is their only move here, but I don’t know how they’re going to do it.
Man… I wonder if they’d actually buy him out…
I think buying him out would be worse. Hurting their cap for years.I guess you could trade vets; But as you said who goes? Plus you could go young but who comes up? Stay tuned for the fun to come
Maybe send one of your higher priced guys who is easier to trade for two lesser players. But I’m sure the more desirable option is to try to trade fleury.
Alex Tuch and MAF to Buffalo for 3rd rd pick. That way Buffalo can then just buy out Okposso and have their goalie and middle fw.
If Vegas sends Tuch anywhere in years to come it will really prove how dumb the whole ownership and front office is.. I already know and alot of others in the hockey world they have done stupid other moves that didn’t work out for them. But Tuch should not move… Alot of others 1st and being in youth ready to go through growing pains and low ELC money… Fleury holds his place where he goes not Vegas I would screw them over…
Note to one R. Lehner: You owe the boys at The Fourth Period a bit of an apology, of sorts, and a small peace offering. And, throw a small thank-you my way for campaigning for you. I just wish there was room for Flower, too, but the cap isn’t $100MM, and won’t get there anytime soon…