The Ottawa Senators on Friday traded goaltender Robin Lehner and forward David Legwand to the Buffalo Sabres for the No. 21 pick in the 2015 NHL Draft.
Lehner, who turns 24 in July, was 9-12-3 with a 3.02 goals-against average and .905 save percentage for the Senators in 2014-15. He did not play after sustaining a concussion Feb. 16, but general manager Brian Murray said after the season that Lehner had recovered from the injury. Lehner has two years remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $2.25 million, according to WAR on Ice.
TRADE TRACKER
Legwand, who turns 35 in August, had nine goals and 27 points in 80 games with the Senators last season. He has one season remaining on his contract and will cost $3 million against the NHL salary cap.
Lehner was available on the trade market because of the emergence of Andrew Hammond last season after Lehner was injured. Hammond went 20-1-2 in the regular season with a .941 save percentage. His NHL debut came in the game Lehner left because of the injury.
Hammond signed a three-year contract with an average annual value of $1.345 million and is expected to pair with veteran Craig Anderson in 2015-16 for Ottawa. The Senators also signed one of the top college free agents available this spring, goaltender Matthew O'Connor from Boston University.
The 21st pick in the 2015 draft originally belonged to the New York Islanders. Buffalo acquired it as part of the trade that sent Thomas Vanek to New York on Oct. 27, 2013.
Lehner is the first in what could be a busy weekend of trades involving goaltenders. Other teams are reportedly considering trading a goaltender, including the New York Rangers (Cam Talbot), Vancouver Canucks (Eddie Lack or Jacob Markstrom) and Los Angeles Kings (Martin Jones). The top unrestricted free agents at the position are Devan Dubnyk, a 2015 Vezina Trophy finalist with the Minnesota Wild, and Antti Niemi of the San Jose Sharks.
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