The 31-year-old goalie had shoulder surgery in April for an injury he sustained Feb. 9 when he made 27 saves in a 6-0 loss at the Calgary Flames.
Lehner missed five games before returning. After playing March 8 in a 2-1 loss at the Philadelphia Flyers, he did not play again until a 3-2 overtime win at the Vancouver Canucks on April 3. On April 25, Vegas said he would be out for the season and expected him to be ready for training camp.
Lehner, who also had shoulder surgery in May 2021, was 23-17-2 with a 2.83 goals-against average, .907 save percentage and one shutout in 44 games with the Golden Knights last season, his third with the team.
Laurent Brossoit was 10-9-3 with a 2.90 GAA and .895 save percentage in 24 games (21 starts) and Logan Thompson was 10-5-3 with a 2.68 GAA and .914 save percentage in 19 games (17 starts).
Brossoit, 29, has played 106 NHL games, but never more than 24 in a season. Thompson, 25 has played 20 NHL games and could be the favorite to be the No. 1 in Lehner's absence.
Vegas also signed goalie Michael Hutchinson to a one-year contract July 13. The 32-year-old has played 137 NHL games, including two with the Toronto Maple Leafs last season.
"I mean, obviously that's for training camp and all that stuff plays out, but I think [Thompson], in my opinion, he has already shown us and the organization, his teammates, everything, that he's more than capable to be to be a full-time NHL goaltender for sure," Golden Knights director of player development Wil Nichol said before Lehner's injury was announced.
Vegas (43-31-8) finished fourth in the Pacific Division and did not qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season for the first time in their five NHL seasons.
NHL.com staff writer Jackie Spiegel contributed to this report
