What The Golden Knights' Reported Resolution For Lehner's Salary Means For Their Cap Space
The Vegas Golden Knights received salary cap relief after the NHL reportedly ruled Robin Lehner's salary won't count toward their cap. Adam Proteau looks at what this means.
The Vegas Golden Knights would've headed into the 2024-25 NHL regular season using LTIR cap space if Robin Lehner's cap hit counted. That seems to have changed.
ESPN and Daily Faceoff reported that the Golden Knights reached a resolution with the NHL regarding Lehner's $4.4 million remaining salary. After Lehner didn't report to training camp for a mandatory physical that would've deemed him eligible for the long-term injured reserve, the resolution between the team, league and NHLPA means Lehner's salary won't count toward Vegas' salary cap. Sources told ESPN there was a specific reason why Lehner couldn't report to camp, with the sensitive nature of his situation making it an unprecedented case.
If the NHL decided otherwise and kept the final year of Lehner's contract on the Golden Knights’ salary cap, Vegas would’ve had to go into the LTIR to fit under the cap ceiling to start this season. Instead, they have about $1.46 million in space and can accrue cap space, according to PuckPedia. Vegas could fit in an additional cap hit of $6.7 million by the trade deadline if it makes no other roster changes, per PuckPedia.
Last season, the Golden Knights had Lehner, Mark Stone and William Carrier on LTIR at the trade deadline when they acquired veterans Noah Hanifin, Tomas Hertl and Anthony Mantha via trade. Stone and Carrier were cleared to play in time for the playoffs, where there is no cap ceiling. It may have raised eyebrows, but what they did was within the rules of the collective bargaining agreement, and they made the most out of the situation.
We have yet to learn exactly why Lehner’s contract doesn’t count against the cap. But you can say that, once again, the Golden Knights worked out a solution to be cap-compliant during the regular season, keep their current players and have room to add. They’ve essentially bid farewell to Lehner and moved on with starter Adin Hill and newcomer Ilya Samsonov. That may not be the league’s best netminding tandem, but the team has more flexibility due to this resolution to make changes to their goaltending or elsewhere if necessary.
Whatever the situation may be for Lehner, the Golden Knights are now in a better position to compete and upgrade up until the trade deadline.
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