Sabres’ Robin Lehner says reported trade request is ‘fake news’

Buffalo Sabres goalie Robin Lehner (40) watches the puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Colorado Avalanche. (Jeffrey T. Barnes/AP)

The goalie market around the NHL trade deadline was pretty slow.

Petr Mrazek moved to the Philadelphia Flyers a few days before and 19-year-old prospect Filip Gustavsson was moved from Pittsburgh to Ottawa in the Derick Brassard trade.

But even though teams such as Calgary (Mike Smith is injured), St. Louis (regular starter Jake Allen has struggled) or the New York Islanders could perhaps have used some help in the crease, no other moves were made at the position.

Buffalo Sabres goalie Robin Lehner was a potential candidate to move. The 26-year-old makes $4 million against the cap, but can become an unrestricted free agent this summer. As the Sabres sit low in the standings once again and looked to acquire futures, Lehner seemed like a potential fit for some of these teams. A report eventually surfaced that Lehner had requested a trade out of Buffalo, which he called “fake news” on Tuesday.

Lehner is 13-23-8 with a .910 save percentage and 2.95 GAA behind a Sabres team that allows the eighth-most shots against per game. He is in his third season with the Sabres after being traded there from Ottawa in 2015, along with David Legwand, for the 21st overall pick in the 2015 draft which became Colin White.

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