Heading into the 2018 offseason, the New York Islanders parted ways with head coach Doug Weight and general manager Garth Snow. They then brought in former Toronto Maple Leafs general manager (GM) Lou Lamoriello, as well as Stanley Cup-winning head coach Barry Trotz. The two were set to headline a new era of Islanders hockey, beginning with contract negotiations for pending free agent and franchise icon, John Tavares. While the Islanders captain eventually left for the Leafs, the 2018 offseason prompted an era that redefined what it meant to be an Islander.
Islanders Sign Robin Lehner
Just after Tavares made the decision to sign with the Leafs, the Islanders’ attention went to fixing the remaining holes on the roster. No hole was as glaring as the goaltending tandem, so Lamoriello signed goaltender, Robin Lehner, to a one-year, $1.25 million deal.
Lehner, previously of the Buffalo Sabres, finished the prior season with a 14-26-9 record, 3.01 goals against average (GAA), .908 save percentage (SV%), and -14.1 goals saved above expected (GSAx), according to MoneyPuck.
While Lehner’s numbers seem bad, the Islanders’ goaltending the season prior was even worse. The tandem of Jaroslav Halak and Thomas Greiss gave up the most goals in the NHL during the 2017-18 season (293), combining for -32 GSAx. Lehner was not expected to be the solution in net, but there was hope he could make the tandem a bit better.
Lehner’s Regular Season Success
As the Islanders began the post-Tavares era, Lehner made his Islanders debut on Oct. 8, 2018, against the San Jose Sharks. He faced 35 shots and saved them all, posting a shutout in his first game with the Islanders. From there, he continued to shine, giving up two or fewer goals in four of his first seven starts en route to a 4-2-1 record, .923 SV%, and 2.35 GAA in his first month on Long Island.
Follwoing a rough four-game stretch to start November, Lehner kicked into another gear. From Nov. 22 and on, he finished the season with .936 SV%, 1.88 GAA, and 20.38 GSAx. Only Ben Bishop finished with a higher SV%, GAA, and GSAx in that span.
Some of Lehner’s season highlights include a seven-game stretch in December when he posted two shutouts, including one against Tavares in Toronto, as well as a 40-saves-on-41 shots victory in his return to Buffalo. From Nov. 29th to Dec. 31st, he posted a 1.01 GAA, .963 SV%, and 9.7 GSAx, the best of any goaltender in that span.
Related:
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at The Hockey Writers…