Robin Lehner has played 86 games in a Senators uniform.
A second round pick in the 2009 Draft, there was a time when it looked like Lehner might be the future number one here in Ottawa.
Of course it never really worked out that way. Lehner showed flashes during his brief stint with the Sens but never put it all together. And with Craig Anderson staking claim to the starter’s spot at the time, some argue he never really got a fair shake.
Now 28 years old, Lehner’s career, and his life in general, are back on track.
Lehner’s story is well-documented but his battle with mental health issues, and his willingness to speak about his struggles publicly, has been an inspiration to many.
While Robin Lehner is currently a member of the Vegas Golden Knights, and has a damn good chance at a Stanley Cup this year, talk has already started to turn to the off-season, when Lehner is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent.
He joined TSN1200 earlier this morning and talked about what he’s looking for in free agency.
Not surprisingly, stability seems to be the biggest thing at this point. Lehner has a young family now and will be looking for a place where he can settle down a bit.
Lehner signed a one-year deal with the Chicago Blackhawks this past off-season, his third consecutive one-year contract.
It has led to some talk that maybe a return to Ottawa might make sense.
You can see why some might think there’s a fit.
Craig Anderson is an unrestricted free agent, Anders Nilsson is still dealing with the lingering effects of a serious concussion and after that there’s a lot of question marks.
Marcus Hogberg certainly looked the part of an NHL goalie this past season but still has a lot to prove. With his one-way contract, he likely starts on the NHL roster but that’s not set in stone. Joey Daccord and Filip Gustavsson look like quality prospects but neither looks ready for NHL duties just yet.
So maybe the Senators look to the free agent market for some stability.
At the end of the interview, they specifically asked Lehner if he would be open to a return to Ottawa this summer.
He predictability ducked the question initially but as he expanded on his answer a little bit, you could tell that while he loved the city and a lot of the people here, there might be some hard feelings about how things played out in Ottawa.
From the interview…
“It didn’t end too good when I was there either. I’m not blaming anyone but myself but you know, I got a concussion and kind of got swept to the side a little bit. Then I had a five minute meeting and was traded in the end of the season. It was kind of a tough goodbye.”
When you add that in with the fact that Lehner is likely to get a big money, multi-year deal this summer, perhaps not the best fit.
At this point, the Senators are likely hoping Anders Nilsson can get back to 100% in time for the start of a new season. They would have him penciled in as the starter and likely Marcus Hogberg as his back up. And if Anders Nillson isn’t ready, maybe Craig Anderson gets another shot?
The good news is Pierre Dorion and his staff have one million months to figure it out.
Meanwhile for Lehner, the focus is on the upcoming playoffs (starting on August 1st apparently!) and a chance to find stability somewhere this off season.
Do you like the idea of Robin Lehner returning to Ottawa? How do you see Ottawa’s goaltending situation playing out?
