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New York Islanders Robin Lehner Loses Out on 2019 Vezina Trophy

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 03: Robin Lehner #40 of the New York Islanders leaves the ice after being pulled from the game in the second period of Game Four of the Eastern Conference Second Round against the Carolina Hurricanes during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at PNC Arena on May 03, 2019 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 03: Robin Lehner #40 of the New York Islanders leaves the ice after being pulled from the game in the second period of Game Four of the Eastern Conference Second Round against the Carolina Hurricanes during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at PNC Arena on May 03, 2019 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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Robin Lehner had an outstanding season for the New York Islanders in 2018-19. Unfortunately, it wasn’t good enough to sway GMs to win the 2019 Vezina Trophy.

With a 25-13-5 record, a 0.930SV%, a 2.13GAA and six shutouts, New York Islanders goalie Robin Lehner was easily one of the best goalies in the NHL last season.

His wins might not come close to the 39 recorded by Andrei Vasilevskiy, who eventually won the award, but Lehner ranked at the top of the league in any important goalie stat.

His 0.930 SV% was second only to fellow nominee and Dallas Stars goalie Ben Bishop. His 2.13 GAA was third only to Ben Bishop and St. Louis Blues goalie Jordan Binnington. But it wasn’t enough to win the top goalie award this season.

Wins Win

Wins typically win the Vezina trophy. So it was always going to be an uphill battle for Robin Lehner and Ben Bishop to win the award from Tampa Bay Lightning’s Andrei Vasilevskiy. Both Lehner and Bishop had better numbers than Vasilevskiy, but none had the sheer number of wins.

Vasilevskiy finished with a 2.40GAA (ninth in the league) and a  0.925SV% (sixth in the league). Lehner and Bishop were well above those numbers.

Winning a third trophy this season (he already won the Masterton and the Jennings) would have been outstanding for Robin Lehner. But with 25 wins he was never a factor to actually take top goalie honors.

The voting finished with Lehner getting not a single first-place vote, three second-place votes, and eight third-place votes. Vasilevskiy finished with 28 first-place votes and two second-place votes. It was as decisive a victory as possible.

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Lehner still finished as one of the league’s top three goalies, according to NHL GM’s. That’s an incredible show of appreciation from people who wanted nothing to do with him just a few months ago.

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