Robin Lehner Injury: Replacement Options
By Ryan Ritchie
We have Robin Lehner injury news to report. The announcement is a sad one after Buffalo traded for him back on June 26 to be their starting goaltender.
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Buffalo Sabres goalie Robin Lehner sustained a lower-body injury Thursday night in the home opener against the Ottawa Senators. He left the game at 7:30 into the 2nd period after making making 11 of 12 saves and allowing a goal in the first 30 seconds of the 1st. The Sens went on to win the game 3-1. GM Tim Murray was quoted saying the following to NHL.com:
"“Robin Lehner will have more evaluation done today and tomorrow and maybe have a further prognosis on what his injury is and the extent of it maybe tomorrow,” coach Dan Bylsma told the Sabres website Friday.Buffalo general manager Tim Murray told Sportsnet Radio in Toronto that Lehner will have an MRI and his injury is not short-term.GM Tim Murray says the Robin Lehner injury “is not short-term”. The reigns now fall to Chad Johnson. The other options down in Rochester include Nathan Lieuwen and Andrey Makarov. The latter of which has been one of the more promising Sabres prospects."
In quotes taken from NHL.com via Chad Johnson:
“It’s unfortunate. It’s a weird situation, especially [with it being the] first game of the year, but it is what it is,” Johnson said.
“… Obviously I play hockey to play, so the more games I can play, the happier I am. It’s sort of a goal of mine to be a starting goaltender, so the situation here is good for me. And again, for me, I’m just looking forward to one game at a time and tomorrow it starts.”
Whether or not any of the three listed above can handle a starter’s role is a great question. Although it may not take long for the Sabres to start looking for another solution in goal.
You can realistically go one of three ways. First, stand pat with the goalies you have and accept the end result. Second, do patch work simply adding another guy in the mix with pro experience to help fill the hole until Robin Lehner returns. Third option, is to bring in either a starter or young netminder looking for a starting opportunity.
Gut reaction says the Sabres will bring in another body like they did last year with Anders Lindback to be a temporary option. Although, teams are trending towards carrying a goalie tandem that has proved effective. It’s not unrealistic that Buffalo could bring in a decent goaltender. But at what price?
Temporary Fix Options:
Joni Ortio, Calgary Flames
The Flames have a self-inflicted goalie controversy already.
Karri Ramo was named starter for opening night. Jonas Hiller led the way last season. Calgary also has a third guy in Joni Ortio who’s done enough to get a look at the NHL level.
Any 3 of these guys could be trade targets, but Ortio may be the easiest and cheapest option. In Adirondack last season, Ortio had 21 wins with a 2.69 GAA and .912 save %. Joni Ortio and Chad Johnson could man the crease until Robin Lehner returns.
Sep 29, 2015; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Colorado Avalanche goalie
(31) warms up against the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports
Calvin Pickard, Colorado Avalanche
We still don’t know what Calvin Pickard projects to be.
The 23-year-old was once a highly-touted goalie that currently ranks in the Avalanche’s top 5 prospects. He’s also a guy that has taken longer than expected to develop.
Semyon Varlamov is obviously the man in Colorado, with Reto Berra proving to be a decent backup.
The opportunities simply are not there for Pickard to get a long-enough look at the NHL level. The price to bring in a guy like Pickard would be far more affordable than most other options.
Sep 24, 2015; Columbus, OH, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets goalie
(31) attempts a save in net prior to the game against the Minnesota Wild at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Anton Forsberg, Columbus Blue Jackets
Definitely not a long-term option, as Forsberg ranked 4th on the depth chart heading into last season.
Ahead of him is the elite Sergei Bobrovsky, with Curtis McElhinney cemented as backup.
They did have Oscar Dansk in the mix who had elite potential when he was drafted. Looks as if Dansk decided to go back to Sweden for 2015-16 (he’s putting up great numbers early on).
Playing for Springfield last season, Anton Forsberg had 20 wins with a 2.01 GAA and .927 save %. He would simply be another guy similar to Chad Johnson that could help hold the fort until Lehner returns.
Oct 17, 2013; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Stars goalie
(1) warms up before the game against the San Jose Sharks at the American Airlines Center. The Stars defeated the Sharks 4-3 in the overtime shootout. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Jack Campbell, Dallas Stars
Campbell was taken in the first round 11th overall at the 2010 NHL draft by the Dallas Stars.
He’s got 4 years of pro-experience now with most of that time spent with the Texas Stars in the AHL. He did have a short 7-game stint in the ECHL last season where he shut the door with big numbers.
With Texas, he won 14 games while posting a 3.03 GAA and .907 save %. Any chance Jack Campbell may have had at securing a backup role were lost in the offseason when Dallas brought in Antti Niemi.
It’s still unclear what kind of goalie Jack Campbell could develop into, but would be cheap patch job to compete with Chad Johnson temporarily while the Sabres deal with the Robin Lehner injury.
Jan 29, 2015; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Minnesota Wild goalie
(32) guards his net during the warmup period against the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome. Minnesota Wild won 1-0. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports
Niklas Backstrom, Minnesota Wild
The Wild are the only other NHL team with somewhat of a goalie controversy. Although this one exists surrounding the backup role.
You’ve got a relatively cheap option in Darcy Kuemper who has proven to be a capable backup. Then you’ve got Niklas Backstrom with his $4 mil cap hit who was your starter for many years.
I’m sure the Wild would love to trim the 37-year-old’s lucrative cap hit. He’s got a nasty injury history in recent years which might be a tough sell for Buffalo.
Perhaps a soon-to retire goaltender makes for a good option though in the short-term?
Mar 14, 2015; Buffalo, NY, USA; New York Rangers goalie
(70) during the game against the Buffalo Sabres at First Niagara Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
Mackenzie Skapski, New York Rangers
The 4-year starter for the Kootenay Ice of the WHL was drafted in the 6th round of the 2013 draft.
He had an impact in his first year of pro in 2014-15 appearing in 28 games for Hartford of the AHL. He won 15 games with a 2.40 GAA and .914 save %.
He also made two appearances for the Rangers collecting a shutout in one game, while saving 44 of 45 shots over 119 minutes.
He’s still a bit of an unknown so his future is unclear. We probably wouldn’t even be discussing him if Henrik Lundqvist hadn’t gotten injured last season. But now that we’ve seen Skapski, I imagine he could push and compete with Chad Johnson for awhile.
Sep 21, 2015; Victoria, British Columbia, CAN; San Jose Sharks goaltender
(1) reaches for the puck against the Vancouver Canucks during the first period at Q Centre. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports
Troy Grosenick, San Jose Sharks
We actually posted a piece late last month on this young man that you can find here.
Grosenick never had a shot at beating out Martin Jones or Alex Stalock in preseason. All three played phenomenally.
Troy was a free-agent signing out of Union College who has a couple seasons of pro-experience under his belt now.
He’s put up very solid numbers for AHL standards and could easily compete with Chad Johnson for the temporary starter role after the Robin Lehner injury.
More Permanent Options:
Apr 3, 2015; Anaheim, CA, USA; Anaheim Ducks goalie
against the Colorado Avalanche at Honda Center. The Avalanche defeated the Ducks 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
John Gibson, Anaheim Ducks
Relegated to playing in the AHL because Frederik Andersen emerged for the Ducks a season before he made the jump from junior to pro.
Gibson was the focal piece of some very good Team USA World Junior teams that included a few highlight reel saves that hockey fans will never forget.
The Ducks cannot allow the Andersen-Gibson marriage to continue in Anaheim without it ultimately hurting one guy, like it has for John Gibson already.
After re-signing to a 3-year extension recently, his $2.3 mil cap hit is a relatively cheap one for a young guy with starter aspirations. And if some experts are correct, an elite starter.
Feb 18, 2015; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Boston Bruins goaltender
(70) skates during warmup against the Edmonton Oilers at Rexall Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports
Malcolm Subban, Boston Bruins
Another guy in a similar situation as John Gibson, except that he’s competing with Tuukka Rask.
This former first-rounder developed more quickly than expected. Last season in Providence, he had 16 wins with a 2.44 GAA and .921 Save %.
His first and only NHL appearance last season is one Subban would probably prefer to forget. This is another pair of goalies that likely won’t be able to co-exist for an extended period of time.
Whether or not the Bruins move forward with Subban or Rask could largely be dictated by how the B’s do this season.
If you need to tear it down and re-build then Subban is the answer in goal. I don’t imagine the Bruins want to re-build, so he should be a likely trade target over the next calendar year.
Oct 9, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Red Wings goalie
(35) makes a save during the second period against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Joe Louis Arena. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
Jimmy Howard, Detroit Red Wings
You’d have to be okay with his north of $5 mil cap hit for this to work.
Not that the Sabres couldn’t afford it, but a 31-year-old goalie probably isn’t the direction Buffalo wants to go.
Howard is still a guy that has consistently produced in the top half of the league with a solid goals against average and save percentage year after year.
Petr Mrazek is due for a pay-raise at season’s end, and might be looking for Howard-type money. So either way, one of these two guys have an expiration date in Mo-town.
Sep 24, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin (71) scores a goal on Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Matthew Murray (30) in the third period at Joe Louis Arena. Detroit won 6-1. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Matt Murray, Pittsburgh Penguins
Murray was a stud down in Wilkes-Barres last season. He had 25 wins with a 1.58 GAA and .941 save %.
He was originally a third-round draft pick in 2012 after two rough seasons in Sault Ste. Marie of the OHL.
Murray’s next two seasons of junior saw vast improvements leading to 32 wins and 2.57 GAA and .921 save % after failing to post a save % above .900 in his first three years in the OHL.
After tearing apart the AHL in his first season of pro, it looks like the Penguins have a potential starter in the system suddenly. One that might be ready to play now in fact.
Marc-Andre Fleury isn’t likely headed anywhere, and you certainly can’t relegate Murray to backup duties. How long can you let this kid simmer before it ultimately hurts his development?
Sep 29, 2015; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; Winnipeg Jets goalie
(31) makes a save on Ottawa Senators left wing
(16) during the second period at MTS Centre. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Fedyck-USA TODAY Sports
Ondrej Pavelec, Winnipeg Jets
Everybody in the hockey world knows the Jets have a bit of a goalie conundrum that will require a solution sooner rather than later.
I think Winnipeg is still trying to figure out whether Pavelec can be the guy to take them deep into the playoffs.
They may also be testing the waters with Michael Hutchinson due to his limited NHL experience. All signs point to the Jets having three starting goaltenders.
Connor Hellebuyck led the way for Team USA at last year’s World Championships and could be the Jets long-term answer between the pipes. Pavelec is the veteran of the group but is still only 28-years-old and only carries a $3.9 mil cap hit.
This would be my preferred course of action. Pavelec would be cheap enough that you could comfortably carry both him and Robin Lehner. It would also give you that two-man tandem that a lot of teams have chosen to feature.
Wrap-Up:
If the Buffalo Sabres do decide that Chad Johnson and Andrey Makarov are unable to carry the load long-term. The above goaltenders are the likely options.
If you were GM Tim Murray, which goalie would you want to target? What would you realistically be willing to give up to get them? Does the Robin Lehner injury change some people’s forecasts on how they thought this team would do? Sound off below and let us know what you think.
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