Lehner Leading New Life With Isles After Return to Buffalo

Emotions were swirling inside Robin Lehner on Monday night, as he took the ice against the Buffalo Sabres on New Year's Eve.
Lehner called it perhaps the toughest game of his career and it had little to do with turning aside 39 shots. For Lehner, it was about returning to his old stomping grounds and getting some closure, as he continues the new chapter in his life.

Professionally, Lehner is finding a groove in net for the Islanders. He's won five straight games and has allowed a stingy eight goals in his last eight games, including a 36-save shutout against Toronto.
Personally - and absolutely more importantly - Lehner is sober and working daily to leave his past substance abuse issues far behind. This first trip back to Buffalo has caused the goalie to reflect on how far he's come since seeking help and baring his soul with the revelation of his bipolar diagnosis in a first-person story at the start of training camp.
"I'm not looking back that much. I've got an opportunity here," Lehner said. "There were a lot of good things that came out of this city for me and I also had a lot of hard times here personally… I had my issues, I'm working on my issues, but I'm working every day to be a better person. That's my new journey and I'm just happy I came to a team with a really, really good organization that's been showing tremendous support, supporting me a lot off the ice and on the ice. I couldn't be happier."

Lehner's decision to go public with his past struggles took guts and the Islanders have been there to support their goalie. Head Coach Barry Trotz said he's proud of Lehner's turnaround.
"I've had some players who have had situations where they were in a bad place and [now] they've got their life around them," Trotz said. "I know how difficult it is for players who have to make life changes and if they don't they die. It ruins their life [if they don't]… To me, when you get the player in a good place, the player can have success, but more importantly a real productive life and that's why I'm real proud of Robin. From the situation he was in to where he is now is a game changer, not only for him, but for us."
Lehner said his main focus this season has been on his family, his recovery and his job. He said he's shielded himself off a little bit this season, but has appreciated all the support from friends, teammates and former teammates.
"It was very brave of him to publicly come out and explain the issues that he has and has had," San Jose Sharks defenseman and close friend, Erik Karlsson, said. "The way that he has been handling this whole thing moving forward here since the summer has been great and something that's going to be good for him and I'm very proud of him for doing that. It's going to help him in life and it's something that he needed to do. And for him to do it publicly as well and putting himself out there as being flawed is something that's not easy to do and something I respect very much."

While hockey is secondary to healthy living, Lehner came back to Buffalo having taken positive steps in both spheres. Lehner is 9-6-3 this season with a 2.14 GAA, a .930 SV% and two shutouts, some of his best statistics since the 2012-13 season. He's adapted his game under Mitch Korn and Piero Greco's tutelage and is part of the reason the Islanders have allowed the fewest goals in the Eastern Conference.
"I want all the success in the world for the guy. He deserves that and I think he's earned that," Karlsson said. "He's worked extremely hard throughout his whole career to be as good of a goalie as he possibly can and it's going to jumpstart a new chapter for him."