The Golden Knights' battle to get to the postseason just got even tougher, as goaltender Robin Lehner is out the rest of the 2021-22 season.
Vegas announced on Monday that Lehner will undergo shoulder surgery, ending his season.
In the team's statement, the Golden Knights said Lehner suffered the injury on February 9 and "were hopeful that rest and rehab would allow him to complete the season."
The announcement comes three days after there were reports by ESPN's Emily Kaplan and The Athletic's Jesse Granger last Friday that Lehner was undergoing season-ending surgery.
Granger reported that the goaltender suffered a lower-body injury on March 8 in a game against the Flyers and elected to try and play out the season while dealing with the ailment. So it speculated that it was knee surgery, not shoulder surgery, that Lehner required.
However, Golden Knights coach Pete DeBoer then denied the reports, saying he viewed Lehner's absence on Friday as a "maintenance day." Lehner served as the backup to Logan Thompson during Sunday's 5-4 shootout loss to the Sharks.
Like the team, Lehner had an unsteady season. In his second full season with Vegas and his first as the full-time starter, the Swedish goaltender finishes with a record of 23-17-2 with a 2.83 GAA and a .907 SV percentage.
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It's another casualty in an extremely injury-riddled season for the Golden Knights. With Lehner out and Laurent Brossoit (undisclosed) still on long-term injured reserve, it leaves Thompson to be the go-to goalie for the rest of the regular season.
The team is three points behind the Stars for the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference and six points behind the Kings for third place in the Pacific Division. Vegas has three games left, and its push to the playoffs now will be riding on its third-string goaltender.
Their next game is on Tuesday against the Stars.
Is there bad blood between Pete DeBoer and Robin Lehner?
It's pretty fair to say the relationship between the Vegas coach and goaltender is not all rainbows and sunshine.
Last week, DeBoer had some harsh criticism for Lehner after the teams' 3-2 loss to the Devils.
"This time of year, you’re looking for your guy to be better than the guy at the other end, and that wasn’t the case tonight," DeBoer said. “It’s been an interesting year between (Laurent) Brossoit being hurt, Lehner has been hurt at different points, then had a family issue last week that took him out. (Thompson) has been consistent in what he’s brought for me, in a really tough spot. I think he’s the one guy there that has been there and given us what he could."
Despite the comments, two days later, Lehner got the start against the Capitals. However, after stopping 12 of 13 shots in the first period, it was Thompson, not Lehner, who came out for the second.
It was an extremely odd decision for DeBoer to pull Lehner given his performance.
So DeBoer watched Lehner give up those 2 goals in the 3rd vs NJ, laid the blame at Lehner's feet after the game, said himself Thompson is the only consistent goalie.
— Jesse Granger (@JesseGranger_) April 21, 2022
Then he somehow decided to start Lehner.
Then decided to pull Lehner for Thompson in a 1-1 game.
Unbelievable.
So, yeah, something is off in Vegas between the two.
Who will be the starting goaltender for the Golden Knights going forward?
It wasn't a guarantee Lehner was going to be the team's No. 1 goaltender heading into the final games of the season anyway. Thompson had been playing well enough that the buzz of a goalie controversy was brewing in Sin City.
Thompson has been lights out as of late for Vegas. He's won six of his past eight appearances and has helped the Golden Knights' playoff hopes stay alive, allowing two or fewer goals in seven of his past 11 games. On the year, the 25-year-old goaltender has made 15 appearances (13 starts), going 9-5-1 with 2.64 GAA and .917 SV percentage.
Jiri Patera has been called up from the AHL in a corresponding move. Brossoit was eligible to return off of LTIR on April 20, but he has yet to be activated.
If the Golden Knights somehow make it to the postseason, it doesn't matter if it's Thompson or Brossoit, they'll be relying on a goaltender who has made zero playoff starts. Thompson has no NHL postseason experience, while Brossoit has made one appearance in relief, which came back in the 2016-17 season for the Oilers. He allowed two goals on six shots.
