Golden Knights' Robin Lehner 'encouraged' after talks with NHL, NHLPA

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner recently generated headlines with tweets that, among other things, included him accusing clubs and coaching staffs of giving pain medications and other pills to players without prescriptions and also calling for the Philadelphia Flyers to fire Alain Vigneault because the head coach is "a dinosaur" who treats players poorly. 

According to Greg Wyshynski of ESPN, Lehner read from a prepared statement at training camp on Tuesday and said he's recently spoken with the NHL and National Hockey League Players' Association about his controversial allegations. 

"The last 72 hours have been really difficult, but also incredibly valuable to me, to my career [and] my life goals," Lehner said. "It's not easy to do this, but I had a great talk with the NHL and the NHLPA over the last day. I'm excited for the potential change to be made to protect a younger generation. This is something I've been advocating for, for years, and I'm encouraged about the approach that they want to take. I've tried many avenues to bring some change [based] on things I've gone through in my career." 

Lehner continued: "I'm always going to advocate for mental health. And advocate for this league. But moving forward, I'm looking forward to help in a more private matter. This weekend was a cry for help from this league. This league that I love has given me so much. I'm just trying to protect the younger players, and the only way to affect change, in my mind, is to do it in a non-public fashion." 

Lehner has never played for Vigneault, who responded to the matter via comments shared by Wyshynski on Monday.   

"I don't know the young man," Vigneault explained. "[He said] that I was a dinosaur. I consider myself experienced. Dinosaur? You can say that with experience you become a dinosaur, maybe? I do know that I've been coaching a few years. I am tough. I am demanding. But I care about my players. I want their best. Through the years, some guys have liked me and some guys a little bit less. But I've done it with the best intentions, with respect." 

Vegas first faces Philadelphia during the upcoming season on Dec. 10.