Islanders goalie Robin Lehner is one of the three finalists for the Masterton Trophy, awarded to the “player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey.”
Come the ceremony in June, Lehner almost assuredly will be the winner.
Having come back from substance abuse and mental-health issues, Lehner has turned around not only his career, but also his life.
Islanders president Lou Lamoriello took a bit of a flier in signing the 27-year-old Swede to a one-year, $1.5 million deal this summer, and Lehner has delivered.
Lehner, a 6-foot-4, 240-pounder, went 25-13-5 with a 2.