Report: Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner to undergo season-ending surgery
We now know why Robin Lehner was pulled after one period in a game that was tied 1-1.
As first reported by ESPN’s Emily Kaplan, Lehner will undergo season-ending surgery.
Robin Lehner is getting season ending surgery, sources told ESPN.
Lehner had battled back from a major knee injury he sustained in Philadelphia on March 8. He gave it all he could but his body finally gave out.
— Emily Kaplan (@emilymkaplan) April 22, 2022
Lehner suffered a knee injury back on March 8 while playing the Philadelphia Flyers and spent a few weeks on injured reserve. On March 17, Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reported Lehner had a patella fracture, a crack in his knee cap, which threatened to end his regular season:
“We’re told the update on Lehner is not positive.
Sources say Lehner suffered patella fracture, a crack in his knee cap, which would explain why he was spotted on crutches when heading home from Vegas’ road trip.
The team is still attempting to determine an exact timeframe for a potential Lehner return, but coupled with the torn labrum in his shoulder that he was already playing through, the fear is Lehner could miss the remainder of the regular season.“
Lehner returned to in six games after getting activated and posted a .892 save percentage.
Back on Wednesday, Lehner started for the Golden Knights in their game against the Washington Capitals. He allowed one goal on 13 shots and was pulled in the first intermission. After the game, head coach Pete DeBoer said that Lehner was pulled because the team felt rattled about the goal he allowed.
With Lehner and backup goalie Laurent Brossoit on the shelf, the Golden Knights will now turn to Logan Thompson in a do-or-die effort to make the playoffs. Through 15 appearances this season, Thompson, an undrafted free agent Vegas signed in 2020, has posted a .920 save percentage.
Vegas is currently 42-31-5, two points back of the Dallas Stars for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference and five points behind the Los Angeles Kings for the third seed in the Pacific Division.
Complicating matters: Upon hearing of the Lehner report Friday, DeBoer claimed to have no knowledge of the season-ending surgery and that he expects Lehner to dress for Sunday’s game.