Aug 24, 2020
Fleury on Walsh's tweet: 'Merely a way to defend me'
Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner weighed in Sunday on agent Allan Walsh's since-deleted tweet of a photo of client Marc-Andre Fleury being stabbed in the back by a sword with head coach Peter DeBoer’s last name on it.
TSN.ca Staff
Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner weighed in Sunday on agent Allan Walsh's since-deleted tweet of a photo of client Marc-Andre Fleury being stabbed in the back by a sword with head coach Peter DeBoer’s last name on it.
Lehner posted a 26-save shutout on Sunday as the Golden Knights defeated the Vancouver Canucks 5-0 in Game 1 of their second-round series.
"Me and Marc were just laughing. It's always the media and everyone else that makes a big deal out of this," Lehner said of the tweet after the win. "I think me and Marc we get along great; he's a really good guy.
"This team is a [heck] of a group and everyone is really tight, and when this happened, I saw Marc and we were just laughing. That's all it is. At the end of the day, he didn't do anything. It was his agent, and if he wants to be unprofessional, go ahead. He looks terrible, but it is what it is."
Fleury confirmed prior to Game 1 that he asked Walsh to delete the tweet.
"I just wanted to say Allan’s been my agent for a long time," said Fleury in a Zoom media conference before the game. "Always been close. Always talk about hockey or other things in life. He cares a lot about his players. I really appreciate his passion for the game. I think it was merely a way to defend me."
Lehner, acquired at the trade deadline from the Chicago Blackhawks, made his seventh start on Sunday since the NHL resumed play, improving his record to 6-1 with a .918 save percentage and a 2.09 goals-against average.
Fleury is 2-0 with a 2.50 GAA and .886 save percentage since play restarted earlier this month.
"We all want to win, that's why we're here," Fleury added Sunday. "I really like Robin. We have a good friendship and I think he's a really good goalie also. There are no hard feelings."