Robin Lehner, on weight loss: ‘The last three years I’ve been heavy’

Robin Lehner knew helium could stay astatine his erstwhile value and proceed to beryllium a palmy goaltender.

But aft turning 30 successful July, Lehner started to contemplate his semipermanent future. And the Golden Knights goaltender realized if helium wanted to play beyond the 4 years near connected his contract, changes needed to beryllium made.

Lehner went to enactment reshaping his assemblage and was noticeably trimmer Thursday arsenic the Knights opened grooming campy astatine City National Arena.

“People tin statement it, but the past 3 years I’ve been heavy,” Lehner said. “Here successful Vegas they similar it flashy, truthful I request to beryllium a small faster. We’ll spot what I tin do.”

Lehner is listed astatine 240 pounds connected the authoritative NHL website, but said helium gained value aft undergoing attraction for cause and intoxicant addiction successful 2018. He referenced his medication, presumably for his bipolar 1 condition, arsenic 1 of the reasons for the value gain.

Along the way, Lehner adapted his benignant of play successful nett to suit his expanded size, remaining deeper successful the crease and relying connected his quality to work plays arsenic they unfold. He referred to his method arsenic “calculated cheating” and joked aft his lunging mitt prevention against Vancouver successful the 2020 postseason that “big antheral tin determination erstwhile helium wants to.”

But helium besides seemed to cognize helium was tempting destiny agelong word by carrying the excess value and besides leaving himself much susceptible to injury.

“It’s conscionable much precaution,” Lehner said. “As I said connected Twitter, my woman likes maine a small spot amended lighter, too.”

Lehner started grooming with John Wood, who owns Syndicate MMA successful Las Vegas. Wood posted a representation of the fitter Lehner connected his Instagram relationship Sept. 15 aft a workout.

People privation maine skinny this twelvemonth truthful I conjecture kung fu panda needs a caller nickname soon 😂 https://t.co/Djl8P9ZAiM

— Robin Lehner (@RobinLehner) September 16, 2021

Lehner besides utilized mixed martial arts grooming earlier the 2016-17 play with Buffalo and went connected to person his champion play with the Sabres, posting a 2.68 goals-against mean and .920 prevention percent successful 59 games for a squad that missed the playoffs.

When asked however overmuch value he’s lost, Lehner said helium hasn’t gotten connected the scale. But helium plans to support shedding pounds starring up to the play opener Oct. 12 against Seattle.

“He looks awesome. You tin archer however hard helium worked,” manager Pete DeBoer said. “I didn’t spot him each summer. He walked successful the door, looked similar a antithetic guy. So you tin spot he’s enactment successful the work.”

Great time connected the crystal and finished with manager ⁦@bigwoodmma⁩ bully day🙏 bully to spot each the fans contiguous ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/6sogzYZp5n

— Robin Lehner (@RobinLehner) September 23, 2021

Lehner was plagued by a concussion past play and missed much than a month, but teamed with Marc-Andre Fleury to triumph the Jennings Trophy for fewest goals allowed.

With Fleury successful Chicago aft an offseason trade, Lehner is expected to enarthrosis the load successful nett for the Knights. Since 2018-19, Lehner ranks 2nd successful the league successful prevention percent (.923) among goaltenders with 50 oregon much appearances.

Lehner said helium volition person to set to his slimmer framework and the accrued quickness that comes with it. But it should let him to play a much divers style.

“I deliberation it changes my crippled a small bit,” helium said.

As evidence, Lehner flashed a windmill mitt prevention during the team’s scrimmage Thursday and joked afterward helium learned it from Fleury.

”I deliberation it’s going to beryllium a learning happening for maine with losing much value adjacent earlier the play starts,” Lehner said. “You’re determination a small spot excessively fast. Little timing things, but we’ll enactment connected it. And I deliberation I tin adhd immoderate things to my game.”

Contact David Schoen astatine dschoen@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ connected Twitter.