Sabres re-sign Lehner to 1-year, $4M contract

The Buffalo Sabres announced Tuesday they re-signed goaltender Robin Lehner to a one-year, $4-million deal for the 2017-18 season.

Lehner started 79 games for the Sabres over the past two seasons, posting a record of 28-35-13 with a .921 save percentage and 2.63 goals-against average.

The 26-year-old was originally selected 46th overall by the Ottawa Senators in the 2009 draft. He owns a career .918 SV% and 2.76 GAA through 155 starts and 166 games played.

The short-term pact will see Lehner become a restricted free agent at the end of the upcoming season. Meanwhile, veteran Chad Johnson will serve as the Sabres' backup goaltender in 2017-18 and then become an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Twenty-three-year-old goaltender Linus Ullmark is viewed as the future of the team in the crease, but he's appeared in just 21 NHL games over the past two campaigns and struggled to a .909 SV% in 55 games at the AHL level last season.

According to Cap Friendly, the Sabres still have two remaining RFAs in forward Zemgus Girgensons and defenseman Nathan Beaulieu. They are currently an approximate $11 million below the 2017-18 salary cap.

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