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Lehner Undergoes Surgery

March 30, 2016, 5:15 PM ET [20 Comments]
GARTH'S CORNER
NHL news by Garth • RSSArchiveCONTACT



Robin Lehner's mercurial first season as a Buffalo Sabres has come to a premature close.

The team announced this afternoon that Lehner has undergone successful ankle surgery.

Lehner met with the team's orthopedic doctors on Saturday in advance of the Sabres' matinee win over the Winnipeg Jets.


The surgical procedure affects Lehner's right ankle.

The very same ankle that he suffered a high ankle sprain in on opening night on October 8 that caused him to miss thirteen and a half weeks of game action. Lehner's recovery was stalled due to a reported setback in his rehabilitation in early January.

The big Swede will now be unavailable for the remainder of the team’s games this season.

In 21 starts this season, the Gothenberg, Sweden native played exceptionally well.

Don't let his 5-9-5 record deceive you. Lehner had a .924 save percentage and a 2.47 GAA. He allowed only 48 goals against in 1,164 minutes played. He earned one shutout and made 634 saves this season.

Did we see the best of Lehner this season? Not at all. Anyone who has ever suffered a high ankle sprain will tell you that it is more difficult to recover from than an actual bone break. I love that Lehner gutted out the pain and grinded out games despite the fact that he was experiencing pain and discomfort in his ankle. He took his Advil and had the trained wrap his ankle snuggly so that he could battle and compete with his boys. I love Lehner's passion and his burning fire. He will be at 100% come August when he and his teammates play shinny and get ready for training camp. Lehner told me recently that he will be staying in Buffalo this summer to work out at HARBORCenter and top spend time getting to know his teammates and the fine people of Buffalo.

I like that team orthopedic surgeons shut down Lehner two weeks before the end of the season so that he can immediately begin the rehabilitation process while still in Buffalo.





Sabres fans haven't seen a goalie as salty and pissed off as Lehner since Tom Barrasso ruled the Buffalo four by six back in the 1980s.

If you piss him off, Lehner will fight you. At 6'5" and 240 pounds, Lehner is like an MMA fighter covered in padding. If you mess with him or his teammates, he will wreck your world.

Poor Ben Scrivens will have to feel the wrath of Lehner next season.

Earlier this season, Columbus Blue Jax Boone Jenner and Jack Johnson were so lucky that Lehner didn't crush their skulls with his fists of fury after Zach Bogosian was back stabbed with a greasy, illegal hit from behind. There is no doubt in my mid that Lehner will be looking for Jenner and Johnson for a little trip down memory lane next season.




How about former Habs goalie Ben Scrivens, who challenged Lehner to a fight then chickened out last month. Scrivens was waived by the Habs this week, however, Lehner will be keeping tabs on where the journeyman goalie lands in the future.


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