Senators' Lehner looking for 'fair opportunity' to be No. 1 goalie after signing 3-year deal
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Ottawa Senators goaltender Robin Lehner signed a three-year, $6.675-million contract with the team Thursday, and while he believes the team has a "strong tandem" in net between himself and Craig Anderson, he's doesn't appear overly content with being a backup.
Lehner says he just wants a "fair opportunity" to be the No. 1 goalie. #Sens
— Bruce Garrioch (@SunGarrioch) July 31, 2014
Lehner qualified that by adding "I have lots left to prove," a good indication that he is ready to work for his starts in 2014-15.
The 23-year-old also addressed whether he had been hoping for a long-term deal with the club (via senators.nhl.com):
We quite honestly spent a long time this summer trying to get a long term deal done. It turned into a three-year deal which I'm very happy with too. I think it's just, from both sides, they wanted me in Ottawa and I've tried to make my point that Ottawa is the place I want to be but, of course, I've got to deserve to be there a long time and that's what my goal is. You never know what the future holds.
Lehner's .913 save percentage was a touch higher than Anderson's last season (.911), and the Senators will need both to be on their game in order to compete in the Eastern Conference.