The Vegas Golden Knights pulled off a big win before they even took the ice for the 2024-2025 season.

Sources said Daily confrontation the final year of injured goalie Robin Lehner’s $25 million contract will not will count against the Golden Knights’ salary cap this season after a settlement was reached between the Golden Knights, NHL and NHL Players’ Association. Lehner was in breach of his contract when he failed to report for a mandatory medical examination to open training camp; Lehner previously informed the Golden Knights that he could not report for personal reasons.

This newfound flexibility is a significant change for the way Vegas approaches the season. The Golden Knights now don’t have to place Lehner on long-term injury (LTIR) status, don’t have to come up with a near-perfect season opener to maximize LTIR usage, and can start building salary cap space for every day they’re below it. the $88 million cap hit this season. That reserved space can then be used for a more expensive player at the trade deadline.

The 33-year-old Lehner is still expected to receive the $4.5 million he is owed this season. Sources indicated that the Golden Knights had a strong case to terminate the deal entirely, which would result in no payment, but they did not want to go that route – as they were merely looking for salary cap relief. From the NHLPA perspective, protecting a player’s earnings was paramount, and the resulting salary cap change is usually immaterial – resulting in the agreed-upon settlement. His $4.5 million is still expected to count toward the player’s share of the 50/50 revenue split with the owners.

Lehner has not played in the NHL since April 20, 2022, and was expected to miss his third straight season after undergoing hip surgery in August 2022 that appears to have ended his career. The NHL-NHLPA Collective Bargaining Agreement stipulates that injured players, even those who have been on LTIR for multiple seasons, must undergo a medical examination at the beginning of each season to confirm that they remain unfit to play. The player may then be placed on the long-term injured list at the team’s discretion.

Lehner was a respected teammate and fan favorite for his work both on and off the ice. In 2018-19, he captured the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy with the New York Islanders and finished third in the Vezina Trophy voting. He has advocated for greater awareness and understanding of mental health, drug and alcohol addiction, and trauma. Lehner courageously discussed his battles with bipolar disorder, ADHD and PTSD, his undiagnosed mental health issues that caused him to turn to drugs and alcohol, and then his journey to sobriety that helped him achieve the best hockey of his career and this $25 million deal. with the Golden Knights.

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