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New York Islanders: Robin Lehner Contract Benchmark

By Matt O'Leary
UNIONDALE, NEW YORK - APRIL 01: Robin Lehner #40 of the New York Islanders skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs at NYCB Live's Nassau Coliseum on April 01, 2019 in Uniondale, New York. The Maple Leafs defeated the Islanders 2-1. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
UNIONDALE, NEW YORK - APRIL 01: Robin Lehner #40 of the New York Islanders skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs at NYCB Live's Nassau Coliseum on April 01, 2019 in Uniondale, New York. The Maple Leafs defeated the Islanders 2-1. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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The New York Islanders have to figure out a contract for Robin Lehner. Here’s how they could use a recently signed goalie for a benchmark in negotiations.

After a phenomenal year with the New York Islanders in 2018-2019, it’s pretty apparent that Lou Lamoriello is going to have to bring back Robin Lehner. Lehner, set to turn 28 in July, is due a new contract coming off a career year.

Lehner finished the season with a .930 save percentage and a 2.13 goals against average. In the playoffs, Lehner was fantastic finishing the eight games with a .936 save percentage and a 2.00 goals against average.

The tricky part now is figuring out what kind of contract to give him, but the Islanders might be able to look back to 2016. In 2016, with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Lou Lamoriello gave Frederik Andersen a five-year $25 million ($5 million AAV) contract.

At the time, Andersen was two years younger than what Robin Lehner is now but it’s still a pretty good reference point especially if you factor in career trajectories on both goalies. They post eerily similar career numbers.

Both Lehner and Andersen have a career save percentage of .918 while Andersen has a slightly better career goals against average with a 2.59 vs a 2.70 from Lehner.

When looking at years for Robin Lehner, you’d have to assume he will be in that four or five-year window, similar to Andersen and then the AAV of the contract will likely be between $4.5 million and $5.5 million.

Based on their career numbers and the fact that Lou Lamoriello is calling the shots, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Robin Lehner contract looks similar to the one that Frederik Andersen got three years ago.

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