Days after missing a physical at the beginning of training camp, Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner made a brief statement, saying, “All I can say at this time is everyone knows why I couldn’t be there. I am waiting calmly for things to be sorted out.”
Lehner, who last played an NHL game on April 20, 2022, had hip surgery that summer and was not expected to return this season. He is entering the final season of a five-year, $25 million contract, with an actual dollar figure of $4.4 million in 2024-25.
All players who are on long-term injured reserve must take a pre-camp physical, to establish they are still unable to play. Not doing so could, in theory, lead to contract termination.
According to several sources, everyone involved knew Lehner would not be there. Those same sources indicate the NHL, NHLPA and Vegas are working on a solution.
“(Robin) will not be reporting to the club this year,” Vegas GM Kelly McCrimmon said Thursday. “He continues to be unfit to play. There are unique circumstances surrounding this situation that the NHL, the NHLPA and (Vegas) are working through. Collectively, we are assessing our next steps, and when we have more to say, we will.”
Teams do not have to be cap-compliant until the day before the regular season. So there’s a little bit of time to sort this out.