"There is absolutely no credence to that rumor at all," McCrimmon told the
Las Vegas Review-Journal
. "I wouldn't normally speak (officially) on such things, but there will be so much racket about this, it's important to let people know that's not going to happen."
Robin Lehner, who is in his first full season as starting goalie for the Golden Knights, is
being evaluated for an upper-body injury
. His last start was Feb. 9, when he made 27 saves in a 6-0 loss at the Calgary Flames.
Daily Faceoff reported the Golden Knights could be interested in reacquiring Fleury, who was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks on July 27 for forward prospect Mikael Hakkarainen. The 37-year-old goalie is in the final season of a three-year, $21 million contract ($7 million annual average value) he signed with Vegas on July 13, 2018, and is 16-17-3 with a 2.88 goals-against average, .910 save percentage and three shutouts in 36 games this season.
Fleury was chosen by the Golden Knights in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft and in four seasons helped them reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2017-18, which they lost to the Washington Capitals in five games, and to the Western Conference Final in 2019-20, which they lost to the Dallas Stars in five games.
In his final season with Vegas, he was voted the winner of the Vezina Trophy as the best goalie in the NHL after he was 26-10-0 with a 1.98 GAA, .928 save percentage and six shutouts in 36 games. He was 9-7 with a 2.04 GAA and .918 save percentage in 16 playoff games to help the Golden Knights reach the Stanley Cup Semifinals, which they lost to the Montreal Canadiens in six games.
Fleury won the Stanley Cup three times during 13 seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins (2009, 2016, 2017). He was 117-60-14 with a 2.41 GAA, .917 save percentage and 23 shutouts in 192 regular-season games (191 starts) with Vegas, and 28-19 with a 2.25 goals-against average, .920 save percentage and six shutouts in 47 playoff games.
Vegas coach Peter DeBoer said Lehner's injury is unrelated to what McCrimmon said was "clean-up surgery" Lehner had on his left shoulder one week after the 30-year-old signed a five-year contract Oct. 3, 2020.
"He's still undergoing testing and things like that, so I don't have any more on that," DeBoer said Tuesday.
With Lehner injured, Laurent Brossoit and Logan Thompson are the Vegas goalies. Lehner was 19-13-1 with a 2.86 GAA, .907 save percentage and one shutout in 34 games this season.
