Reports: Golden Knights get cap relief for G Robin Lehner

The final year of injured goaltender Robin Lehner's contract will not count against the Vegas Golden Knights' salary cap in 2024-25, as a settlement granted the team some cap relief, several reports said Thursday.

Lehner signed a five-year, $25 million deal that was going to last through the upcoming season. But he has not played since the 2021-22 season due to a long-term injury.

He told the Golden Knights he was not able to report to the team at the start of training camp, putting him in violation of his contract because it was deemed mandatory for him to report for a medical exam, the reports said.

"He continues to be unfit to play," Vegas general manager Kelly McCrimmon told reporters when camp began. "There are unique circumstances surrounding the situation that the NHL, the NHLPA and the club are currently working through."

That settlement has been decided, with Vegas paying Lehner the $4.4 million owed to him but getting his $5 million cap hit taken off the books for 2024-25.

Lehner in the past had revealed personal battles with mental health and addictions and was an advocate on those topics. He was the recipient of the 2019 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which honors the NHL player who exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

Lehner, 33, played parts of 11 NHL seasons with the Ottawa Senators (2010-15), Buffalo Sabres (2015-18), New York Islanders (2018-19), Chicago Blackhawks (2019-20) and Golden Knights (2020-22). He went 152-141-49 in 364 games (345 starts) and recorded 17 shutouts with a .917 save percentage and a 2.71 goals-against average.

--Field Level Media