The Chicago Blackhawks announced that they have come to terms on a one-year, $5 million deal with Vezina Trophy finalist Robin Lehner.
Lehner is coming off a huge season with the Islanders that resurrected his career. He appeared to be in line for a longer term contract.
Lehner has spoken about battling mental health and substance abuse issues for much of his nine-year career, but it came to a head in his last season in Buffalo in 2017-18. He finally got into treatment and turned his life and career around.
Signed before this past season to a one-year, $1.5-million, let’s-see-how-it-goes contract, the 27-year-old showed the NHL just what he could do when his head was in a good space. He went 25-13-5 with a .930 save percentage and led the league with a 2.13 goals-against average.
He led New York to a sweep of the Penguins in the first round of the playoffs. Though the Isles were swept out by the Hurricanes in the next round, the fault didn’t lie with Lehner. He led postseason goalies with a 2.00 goals-against average and .936 save percentage.
Lehner’s $1.5 million deal was the lowest since his entry-level deal. He signed a three-year, $6.675 million contract with Ottawa in 2014 and a one-year, $4 million deal with Buffalo in 2017. After his Vezina Trophy-worthy season this year, he was due to get back to those higher levels.
Lehner had expressed interest in returning to the Islanders.
“I like the people there,” he told media before the NHL Awards. “I love my teammates. I love the organization. So obviously I want to be back.”
Chicago has Corey Crawford between the pipes, but he has battled concussion issues in recent seasons. He was limited to 39 games last season and only 28 the year before. The 34-year-old posted the highest goals-against average (2.93) and worst save percentage (.908) since he became a full-time goalie in 2010-11.
Crawford was backed up by veteran Cam Ward last season, but he had a 3.67 GAA and .897 save percentage.
Ward is an unrestricted free agent, while Crawford has one year left on his contract.