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NHL fans on social media were annoyed as the Vegas Golden Knights secured salary cap relief to cover goaltender Robin Lehner's salary.
On Thursday, the club agreed with Lehner after he failed to report to training camp for his mandatory physical. Notably, hip surgery has sidelined Lehner since the end of the 2021-22 season, and he has been rehabilitating away from the organization.
The Vegas Golden Knights will pay Lehner his $4.4 million salary for the current season, but this amount will not account against the NHL salary cap. Here's how fans on X reacted as the Knights got salary cap relief.
One tweeted:
"Cap Circumventing Extraordinaires."
Another chimed in:
"He has been on LTIR since 2021, and now ppl coming out saying CAP circumcission?"
Here are some of the other top reactions on X:
"Of course, it's Vegas. And I bet Ottawa will lose another 1st round pick just because Lehner played there before," one X user commented.
"Another Brilliant Cap Loophole found by Vegas. Make closed door arrangement with player that is never going to play again to miss his physical so his contract can be terminated with a quiet promise to still pay him. Then watch the cap space roll in," another chimed in.
"Seems like cheating: I don’t think they are cheating with the cap everyone does it if they can. I will be interested to hear why he isn’t on the cap," one X user wrote.
"Why is everyone acting like this helps Vegas, wouldn't they want him to count against the cap since they know hes not going to play and they'd be able to use the LTIR?" asked another.
More on Robin Lehner's absence from Vegas Golden Knights
According to ESPN's Emily Kaplan, everyone involved was informed about the specific reason for Lehner's absence from Vegas. According to her sources, the NHL has recognized Lehner's situation as both unprecedented and highly unique.
"Sources told ESPN there was a specific reason the goalie could not be in Vegas. ... Given the sensitive nature of Lehner's situation, league sources called it an 'unprecedented and highly unique' case," Kaplan said.
Lehner joined the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2019-20 season from the Chicago Blackhawks. The 33-year-old has been with the club for the last three seasons, posting a 39-21-4 record with a 2.61 GAA and an SV% of .910.
