After Fleury’s huge mistake, Lehner likely Game 4 starter for Golden Knights

By Jun 20, 2021, 1:40 PM EDT

Marc-Andre Fleury can still laugh off the enormous Game 3 mistake that allowed the Canadiens to push the Golden Knights to overtime. But he’ll need to laugh from the bench.

In a decision that’s stunning yet perhaps also quite understandable, it looks like the Golden Knights will start Robin Lehner over Fleury against the Canadiens in Game 4 on Sunday (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN / Peacock).

It’s important to note that Peter DeBoer can be cagey about his starting goalies. Perhaps there’s a chance that he flips the script again, instead giving Marc-Andre Fleury the start over Lehner in Game 4 after all.

But key signs point to Lehner as the Game 4 starter. So let’s look at this bold decision from the perspective of both goalies, and the Golden Knights.

Game 3 was just one of Marc-Andre Fleury’s memorable flubs

If you’ve followed Marc-Andre Fleury’s career, especially through the highs and lows of his Penguins tenure, then you were far less surprised by his stunning Game 3 mistake. You might even chuckle at the mistake being labeled “uncharacteristic” of Fleury.

Yes, it’s harsh for someone to put together a “Marc-Andre Fleury fail compilation,” but MAF sometimes evokes Patrick Roy in that his worst moments are almost as dramatic as his greatest triumphs.

We’ve seen Marc-Andre Fleury go through playoff crises of confidence. There was even a point where Mario Lemieux personally gave MAF a pep talk when things were really unraveling.

But the lows are also part of what makes the highs so inspiring as Fleury keeps beating the odds in Vegas.

[NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs 2021 schedule, TV info]

If the Golden Knights indeed start Lehner in Game 4 over Fleury, it could be an opportunity for people to revisit the drama of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Sure, Fleury made an enormous mistake on that 2-2 goal. But did that self-inflicted wound open the door for Allan Walsh to dust off that Photoshop of a sword in Fleury’s back?

As much as Fleury’s Golden Knights teammates stood up for him after that 2-2 goal gaffe, Peter DeBoer acknowledged the obvious after Game 3.

“Those type of events are tough to recover from,” DeBoer said Danny Webster. “I didn’t think we were poor in overtime but there’s no doubt that carried over”

Hmm, sort of sounds like a coach mulling over starting Lehner instead of Fleury in Game 4, huh? At least in hindsight?

It also inspires some questions about Fleury’s future with the Golden Knights, especially if the Canadiens win this series. After all, Fleury is entering a contract year, and Vegas reportedly shopped him around last offseason.

How much of a shame would it be if that mistake reverberates as one of the last things Fleury does as a member of the Golden Knights? Here’s hoping for a happier situation — whether Vegas advances past Montreal or not.

With MAF, good outweighs the bad — just less so recently

Again, Fleury made a big mistake, and a pivotal one at that. With Carey Price performing on an essentially perfect level, it’s hard to overstate the impact of such a mistake.

Even so, the bigger picture of Fleury with the Golden Knights is that the good heavily outweighs the bad. That’s especially true this season; he’s a Vezina Trophy finalist, and has been electric during most of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Then again, the Golden Knights can argue that Lehner should start over Marc-Andre Fleury in Game 4 for more than just that mistake.

So far in the Canadiens – Golden Knights series, Fleury sports a more earthbound .911 save percentage. By no means is that humiliating, but with Carey Price operating at such a high level (.925 save percentage vs. Golden Knights; .932 during the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs), Vegas might need maximum efficiency.

Game 4 a tough ask for Lehner, even beyond Fleury comparisons

And, that’s where Robin Lehner comes in.

If you worry about rust, then you should worry about Lehner in Game 4. So far during the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Lehner appeared once — when the Avalanche shellacked a fatigued Golden Knights team in Game 1 of the Second Round.

That Game 1 happened on May 30. Before that, Lehner made his last regular-season start on May 10.

Even beyond that, it’s been a bumpy season for Lehner. Due to health issues, he played just 19 regular-season games, managing a .913 save percentage. That’s fine, but he wasn’t exactly forcing MAF from the Vegas net.

Rather than easing in, Lehner gets thrown into Game 4 where the Golden Knights trail the Canadiens 2-1 in the series. And, yeah, there hasn’t been much margin for error.

A style change

When you zoom in, the Golden Knights gamble with Lehner over Fleury in Game 4 considering that he’s coming in cold.

Lehner’s most memorable moments during the playoffs have been that blowout loss, some tweets, and having some hat trick fun. His most lasting regular season moment arguably involved criticizing COVID protocol.

Zoom out and consider their contrasting styles, though.

In a league of largely cookie-cutter goalies, “The Flower” is a rare butterfly. He makes flamboyant saves, showing off electric lateral movement. Sometimes that aggressiveness can backfire. Like, say, when that pokecheck attempt goes awry:

 

Now, it’s perfectly possible Paul Byron scores on Lehner there. Chances are, it would have been in a different way.

Lehner is a huge goalie, and when he’s keyed-in, he can use his massive frame in an intimidating way. For his size, he’s athletic, but Lehner is likely to be more “self-contained” than Fleury.

For better or worse (for better and worse?), you’re less likely to see the double-edged sword of frequent goalie puck handling.

To beat the Canadiens in Game 4, the Golden Knights need to do more than get the starting goalie decision right. Lehner could thrive, and they might still lose. Vegas could also suddenly outscore its problems, maybe after solving its power play.

But no doubt, this is a huge decision, and one that adds a little sizzle to a meaty series.

CANADIENS VS. GOLDEN KNIGHTS (MTL leads 2-1) – series livestream link

Game 1: Golden Knights 4, Canadiens 1
Game 2: Canadiens 3, Golden Knights 2
Game 3: Canadiens 3, Golden Knights 2 (OT)
Game 4: Sun. June 20: Golden Knights at Canadiens, 8 p.m. ET (NBCSN / Peacock)
Game 5: Tues. June 22: Canadiens at Golden Knights, 9 p.m ET (NBCSN / Peacock)
*Game 6: Thurs. June 24: Golden Knights at Canadiens, 8 p.m. ET (USA Network / Peacock)
*Game 7: Sat. June 26: Canadiens at Golden Knights, 8 p.m ET (NBCSN / Peacock)

*if necessary

More NHL News

Penguins name former Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas as director of hockey operations
Seattle Kraken sign GM Ron Francis to 3-year extension through 2026-27 season
Maple Leafs hire Brad Treliving as team’s new general manager

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James O’Brien is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @cyclelikesedins.

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    Penguins name former Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas as director of hockey operations

    Associated PressJun 1, 2023, 2:21 PM EDT
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    PITTSBURGH — Kyle Dubas didn’t stay out of work for long.

    The Pittsburgh Penguins named Dubas as the club’s president of hockey operations. The move comes less than two weeks after Dubas was fired as the general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

    Dubas replaces Brian Burke, who was fired along with general manager Ron Hextall in April after the Penguins failed to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2006.

    The 37-year-old Dubas takes over a team that still believes it can compete for a Stanley Cup if it builds properly around the core of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. While Crosby and Malkin were excellent for much of last season while Letang dealt with multiple setbacks – including a stroke and the death of his father – Pittsburgh struggled to gain any real momentum during much of the 2022-23 season and stumbled down the stretch to snap the longest active playoff streak in major North American Sports.

    “Throughout his career, Kyle has proven himself as a forward-thinking hockey mind and embodies all of the qualities – integrity, intelligence, and an unwavering commitment to building a winning culture – that we value in a leader at the Penguins and within Fenway Sports Group,” FSG principal owner John Henry and chairman Tom Werner said in a statement.

    Dubas comes to Pittsburgh after nine seasons with the Maple Leafs, including the last five as general manager. Toronto won a postseason series for the first time since 2004 this spring before falling to the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference semifinals in five games.

    Shortly after the Maple Leafs’ playoff exit, Dubas said that he wasn’t sure if he wanted to remain in Toronto. His contract was set to expire on June 30, but team president Kyle Shanahan opted to pre-emptively fire Dubas instead. Toronto hired former Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving as Dubas’ replacement.

    While the Penguins remain one of the NHL’s marquee teams, they also haven’t advanced out of the first round of the postseason since 2018. Dubas takes over the NHL’s oldest team, one with several players with no-trade clauses and a handful of onerous contracts that could be difficult to move. Pittsburgh’s farm system is also in need of a major upgrade after the team spent years dealing prospects for more established players as part of a “win-now” mindset.

    Dubas helped build the Maple Leafs into a regular-season power during his tenure. Toronto set single-season records for wins and points, and went 221-109-42 in his tenure. Dubas also didn’t shy away from big moves – he fired Stanley Cup-winning coach Mike Babcock in November 2019 and replaced him with Sheldon Keefe – but struggled to find the right mix in the playoffs until this spring.

    Seattle Kraken sign GM Ron Francis to 3-year extension through 2026-27 season

    Associated PressJun 1, 2023, 11:55 AM EDT
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    SEATTLE — Ron Francis was initially approached about extending his stay as the general manager of the Seattle Kraken back in the winter, but putting finality to the decision took longer than expected.

    The Kraken kept winning and pushed what was mostly a formality to a secondary need until after Seattle’s unexpected playoff run finally ended.

    “At that point it was kind of verbally done, just kind of a few little small details. And then we get into the playoffs and busy and it kind of got put on the back burner and I didn’t want it to be a distraction with the team and where they were at,” Francis said.

    That finality came when the Kraken announced Francis had signed a three-year extension through the 2026-27 season. Francis originally signed a five-year deal when he became the first GM in franchise history back in 2019 and the new contract will kick in starting with the 2024-25 season.

    “I’ll never forget the day that he said, ‘Yes, I’m ready to do this,’” Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke said. “But today is another great day for our fans because not only did he come and build, he is going to stay here and continue to build this franchise.”

    Seattle reached the second round of the NHL playoffs in its second year of existence, following a challenging first year where it underachieved and was among the worst teams in the league.

    But Francis navigated through that difficult first season and helped land the pieces that turned Seattle into a playoff team in the second year without mortgaging future opportunities or putting the Kraken into challenging salary cap situations.

    “He has been the leader that’s gotten us to where we are today. And he is the leader to take us to the next level,” Seattle co-owner Samantha Holloway said.

    Seattle is the second stop for Francis as an executive after spending seven seasons in the front office of the Carolina Hurricanes. Francis started as director of hockey operations before becoming the general manager in 2014. Francis was let go by the Hurricanes after the 2018 season.

    Seattle jumped at the chance to bring the Hall of Fame player in to lead the front office. Seattle’s expansion season was a major underachievement with the Kraken going 27-49-6 and finishing last in the Pacific Division with 60 points. But Francis was able to move veteran players to stockpile draft picks and left enough salary cap room to make some key moves entering the second season.

    Seattle signed free agent forward Andre Burakovksy, traded for winger Oliver Bjorkstrand and inserted rookie Matty Beniers into the lineup on Seattle’s top line from the first day of the season. The results on the ice couldn’t be argued. Seattle went 46-28-8 and reached 100 points, knocked off defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado in the first round of the playoffs before falling to Dallas in seven games in the conference semifinals.

    “It’s been a real team effort. I’m sitting up here today and they’re saying good things about me, but it’s a much bigger picture than just me,” Francis said. “I’m excited to be here for a few more years and hopefully everybody’s opinion doesn’t change, but we’re going to stick to the plan and continue building it the right way so we can be a great franchise for multiple years.”

    Francis also stuck with coach Dave Hakstol after that difficult first season. He may be the next in line for a contract extension from the team after a season where he was recognized as a finalist for the Jack Adams Award for top coach in the league.

    Maple Leafs hire Brad Treliving as team’s new general manager

    Associated PressMay 31, 2023, 4:00 PM EDT
    Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports
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    TORONTO — Brad Treliving has a new job.

    And the Maple Leafs have a new plan.

    Treliving was hired as Toronto’s general manager less than two weeks after firing Kyle Dubas.

    The 53-year-old Treliving left the Calgary Flames in April following nine seasons that included five playoff appearances and two 100-point seasons.

    “Brad brings a wealth of knowledge from his years of experience as a general manager and hockey executive in Calgary, Arizona and beyond,” Leafs president Brendan Shanahan said in a statement. “He has earned tremendous respect amongst his peers throughout his years in the NHL and has built excellent relationships at all levels within the game.”

    Treliving joins the Leafs at a crucial juncture in the wake of Shanahan’s stunning dismissal of Dubas on May 19.

    The Original Six franchise, whose Stanley Cup drought stands at 56 years, won a playoff series for the first time in nearly two decades with a victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning this spring, but then lost to the Eastern Conference champion Florida Panthers in five games.

    Dubas, who had been Toronto’s GM since 2018 and didn’t have a contract beyond June 30, suggested at an end of season news conference May 15 he wasn’t sure he wanted to remain in the role – at least in part because of the stress on his young family.

    A roller coaster five days followed, with Shanahan ultimately firing the 37-year-old Dubas despite previously wanting to keep his GM, and the now-unemployed executive eventually indicating to his boss he wished to stay.

    Treliving is the third GM – joining Dubas and Hall of Famer Lou Lamoriello – hired in Toronto by Shanahan, whose so-called “Shanaplan” aimed at getting the storied franchise back on its feet when he came on board in 2014 has seen unparalleled regular-season success, but just that one series victory in eight attempts.

    “I’m thrilled to join an Original Six team and recognize how much the Maple Leafs mean to this community,” Treliving said. “This is a very exciting day for my family and I.”

    Treliving has a lot to deal with as he settles into his new office at Scotiabank Arena.

    Treliving, who served in the Phoenix Coyotes’ front office for seven seasons before arriving in Calgary, will have to decide the future of head coach Sheldon Keefe, while stars Auston Matthews and William Nylander can sign contract extensions as of July 1.

    Matthews and Mitch Marner have full no-movement clauses ready to kick in the same day. Nylander will have a 10-team list.

    The NHL draft is also set for the end of June in Nashville, Tennessee, while the Leafs have 12 roster players primed to hit free agency at noon EDT on July 1.

    The Flames, who missed the playoffs this season, won the Pacific Division in 2021-22 under Treliving before falling to the Edmonton Oilers in the second round.

    Johnny Gaudreau then stunned the organization by leaving Calgary for the Columbus Blue Jackets in free agency last summer. Fellow star forward Matthew Tkachuk added another wrinkle by informing the team he didn’t plan to re-sign.

    Treliving subsequently dealt the winger to Florida as part of a package that included forward Jonathan Huberdeau and defenseman MacKenzie Weegar heading to southern Alberta.

    Huberdeau then signed an eight-year, $84 million contract extension with the Flames that kicks in next season.

    Tkachuk, a Conn Smythe Trophy candidate as playoff MVP, and the Panthers open the Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights.

    Despite the departures of Gaudreau and Tkachuk, the Flames looked like contenders ahead of the 2022-23 season.

    The acquisition of Huberdeau and the signing of center Nazem Kadri was expected to fill the void left by Gaudreau and Tkachuk, but the mix wasn’t right for a group led by hard-nosed coach Darryl Sutter.

    Huberdeau and Kadri finished well off their career-high points totals of the previous season – the former went from 115 with Florida to 55 in Calgary – while subpar goaltending was an issue much of the season.

    Treliving now turns his attention to Toronto.

    Just like last summer, he has lots of work to do.

    Nashville Predators hire Andrew Brunette after firing John Hynes

    Associated PressMay 31, 2023, 10:54 AM EDT
    Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
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    NASHVILLE, Tenn.– The coaching shuffle in Nashville is complete, with Andrew Brunette officially hired as the Predators coach a little over 12 hours after the team announced that John Hynes was fired.

    The moves are the first being made by incoming general manager Barry Trotz and come about six weeks after the Predators missed the playoffs.

    The 49-year-old Brunette spent the past season as a New Jersey Devils associate coach under Lindy Ruff and has previous head-coaching experience.

    He was promoted to interim coach of the Florida Panthers during the 2021-22 season and oversaw a team that set franchise records for wins (58) and points (122) in claiming the Presidents’ Trophy before being eliminated in the second round of the playoffs. Brunette finished second in the Jack Adams Award voting for the NHL’s coach of the year.

    He becomes just the fourth coach in the history of a Predators franchise and returns to Nashville, where Brunette played for the Trotz-coached team during its inaugural season in 1998-99. Their relationship goes back to 1993-94, when Brunette played under Trotz, who was head coach of the Washington Capitals’ American Hockey League affiliate in Portland, Maine.

    “I feel like this is coming full circle for my career – from pulling on the jersey for the first time 25 years ago to returning now to take care of some unfinished business,” Brunette said in a statement. “It has been awesome to see how this city and its fanbase have grown since I played here and I look forward to continuing the legacy and the culture behind the bench that Barry cultivated that inaugural season.”

    Trotz, meantime, has an eye on building on the Predators’ youth and offensively skilled players as he takes over as GM for David Poile, who is retiring at the end of June after 26 years overseeing the franchise.

    “We want to become more of an offensive team and Andrew specializes on that side of the ice – he lived it as a player, and he coaches it as a coach, Trotz said. “He is as good of an offensive teacher and power-play coach as there is in the game today. He will be great with our young players, and I know, because of his background as a player, he will connect well with our top, skilled players.”

    In Florida, Brunette coached a Panthers team that led the NHL with 337 goals and had the league’s fourth-best power-play unit.

    The Predators missed the playoffs for the first time in nine years, and the first under Hynes, who took over as coach during the 2019-20 season after Peter Laviolette was fired.

    Brunette, who is from Sudbury, Ontario, spent 16 seasons playing in the NHL, ending with a one-year stint with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2011-12. He finished with 268 goals and 733 points in 1,110 career games split among six teams, including two separate stints in Minnesota. Brunette is one of 25 players selected in the seventh round or later to appear in more than 1,000 NHL games.

    Upon his retirement, Brunette spent seven seasons with the Wild in various off-ice roles, including assistant coach and assistant GM, before being hired by the Panthers as an assistant coach in 2019-2020.