GOLDEN KNIGHTS, LEHNER AGREE TO 5-YEAR CONTRACT

EDMONTON, AB -- It had been widely speculated for the past week that the Vegas Golden Knights wanted to sign goalie Robin Lehner and keep him a part of the organization beyond this season.

That speculation can be put to bed, as multiple sources close to the organization have confirmed to TFP that Vegas and Lehner have agreed in principle to a five-year, $25 million contract extension and the deal will be formally signed after the playoffs.

While the new contract itself is not overly surprising, given the direction how Lehner has been clearly positioned as the club’s new No.1 goaltender, what might come across as a head-scratcher is the Knights and Lehner agreed to the deal in June, TFP has learned.

The deal itself is a good one for Lehner, 29, who wanted term and security on his next contract. He now has that.

Having Lehner between the pipes long-term will likely spell the end of Marc-Andre Fleury’s tenure with the Knights after this playoff run.

Fleury, 35, has two-years remaining on his contract, which comes with a $7 million salary cap hit, and owns a 10-team no-trade list as part of his three-year deal he signed in July of 2018.

According to the sources I’ve spoken with, Fleury has been left with a very sour taste in his mouth over the way the Golden Knights have handled this situation as they battle for a Stanley Cup championship. While the team made Fleury aware of their desire to bring in another goalie prior to the trade deadline, the message he kept receiving was that he would remain their main goalie moving forward.

Being the ultimate teammate and professional, and just an outstanding human being, Fleury has backed continuously backed his teammates, even after word started to spread over Lehner’s new contract – a deal several members of the organization have been made aware of.

The Knights will continue to push for the Stanley Cup with Fleury supporting and contributing by whichever way necessary, but I am under the impression this marriage will end in divorce this off-season.

Several teams are in the market for a new No.1 goaltender, and while Lehner comes off the free agent market, Fleury will enter the trade market with some say in where he ends up.

The Colorado Avalanche and Calgary Flames are among the teams exploring the goalie market and could enter the race for Fleury once the opportunity presents itself.