McKenna: With Lehner sidelined, Logan Thompson is Vegas’ best bet in goal

Any time news breaks regarding goaltending in the NHL, I know that my Twitter mentions are going to explode. And that definitely was the case Thursday morning, when the Vegas Golden Knights tweeted that goaltender Robin Lehner will undergo hip surgery and miss the entire 2022–23 NHL season.

First off, from a human standpoint, I’m really bummed for Lehner. Last season wasn’t easy for the 31-year-old Swedish netminder.

Lehner started off the season in fine form, backstopping the Golden Knights through a tumultuous first half of the season. But as the year progressed, injuries mounted: a torn shoulder that eventually required surgery, a broken knee, and now a torn hip that will also require him to go under the knife.

It’s no surprise that the quality of his play dipped as his body revolted against him last season. Lehner has never been the most dynamic goaltender, but it was obvious that something was hindering him in 2022. Pushing looked painful. Rotating was a chore. He was broken by the end of the season.

But what people don’t realize is just how hard it is to play through that kind of pain for so long. Lehner had to put himself through the wringer just to be available for his teammates.

Imagine having all the ailments I just listed and going through everyday life. It wouldn’t be easy. Now think about what it would be like to step on NHL ice and try to play the most scrutinized position in hockey. It takes a pile of courage to man the crease knowing your body isn’t 100 percent.

I played with goaltenders that would pull the chute the moment something ached. A slight muscle strain would put them on the shelf for weeks. But the bottom line was that they were scared. They only wanted to play as close to 100 percent as possible because they feared their numbers would tumble.

I didn’t mind playing with fragile goalies. All it meant was more ice time for myself. I refused to let minor aches, pains, and pulls keep me out of the lineup. My job was to play. And durability furthered my career.

So for anyone out there questioning Lehner — I see those replies on Twitter — give your head a shake. Could you play goaltender with a broken knee, torn hip, and shredded shoulder? It takes a pretty tough person to battle through those injuries.

Back to the Golden Knights, who will begin the 2022–23 NHL season without their number one goaltender. And the team might not even have their number two, Laurent Brossoit, who also underwent offseason surgery. Mum has been the word on a timeframe for his recovery.

It would be easy to assume that Thursday’s announcement regarding Lehner would trigger a response from the Vegas front office. Speculation was rampant on social media on who the Golden Knights could potentially acquire in a trade.

But I really don’t see that happening. Vegas is in such a salary cap crunch that it wouldn’t make sense to spend on a goaltender as a short-term fix. And a lack of supply would force the Golden Knights to overpay. Other teams know that Vegas is in a pickle, and that creates leverage.

Rather than make a trade, I think the most likely outcome is that 25-year-old Logan Thompson is given the opportunity to take over the crease. Is he ready to be a No. 1 goalie in the NHL? Maybe. There’s definitely risk starting the season with an inexperienced netminder like Thompson. He’s only played 20 NHL games. And there’s room for concern if he’s paired with journeyman Michael Hutchinson, who signed with the Golden Knights on July 13.

But you have to look at Thompson’s track record since turning pro in 2019. He was dominant in 40 ECHL games, posting a .927 save percentage. And he improved that statistic while in the AHL: a .929 over the course of 50 games. Thompson was named the winner of the Aldege “Baz” Bastien Memorial Award as the AHL’s most outstanding goaltender for the 2020–21 season.

Now here’s the rub: the 2020–21 AHL season was short. Thompson only played 23 regular season games. Despite his dominance that year — Thompson posted a .943 save percentage — the Golden Knights chose to send Thompson back to the AHL for the 2021-22 season. 

With Thompson headed back to the minors, Vegas elected to sign Brossoit to a two-year contract during the 2021 offseason. I think the move was intended to be a layover until Thompson was ready for NHL duty. And I believe the Golden Knights made the right call. There was no need to rush Thompson, especially given his relative lack of experience. And he needed to prove his performance during the 2020–21 season wasn’t a fluke.

In 19 games last year with Vegas, Thompson posted a .914 save percentage and provided quality starts down the stretch run. Are there things about his game that need improvement? Sure. I think at times he’s overactive. And occasionally Thompson plays much smaller than his 6’4” frame. But every goaltender has their shortcomings and areas that need improvement. 

Again, look at his numbers. They don’t lie. Thompson has been dominant in the minors, and capable thus far in the NHL.

And right now, that’s what Vegas needs. Stability. They need a goalie who can chew minutes and give them a chance to win. And the best part for the Golden Knights is that Thompson is homegrown, with an incredibly attractive salary cap hit of just $766,667 over the next three seasons.

Really what it comes down to is this: if Thompson can step in and be successful, the Golden Knights will have hit a home run. Cheap, quality goaltending is hard to find. And with Vegas so tightly pressed against the salary cap, every dollar saved is important.

Worst case scenario, the Golden Knights are forced to trade for a goaltender in-season. But it makes sense on so many levels to see what Thompson can do with the opportunity. It’s probably the best chance he’ll ever get to make an impression at the NHL level.