Robin Lehner helped the Islanders make the NHL postseason — while changing the stigma surrounding mental illness — during the 2018-19 season. Lehner, who won the William M. Jennings Trophy and the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy that year, is returning to Long Island for the first time on Sunday. The Vegas Golden Knights’ goaltender will surely get a well-deserved ovation at UBS Arena for the impact he made on the team, community and country.

An Inspiration

Before Lehner was an NHL star, he nearly took his own life. One year later, he was winning hockey games, winning awards and winning over the hockey world.

Prior to Lehner, there was a negative stigma surrounding mental health in the National Hockey League (NHL).

He made sure that changed.

In a journey of perseverance, strength and determination, Lehner captivated the United States by telling his story and helping others in similar situations.

“I think we are living in a time where transparency and authenticity is valued,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told ESPN. “But I can’t remember another player [besides Lehner] in my time in the NHL who has been this open about such issues.”

Lehner was diagnosed as bipolar with manic phases of ADHD with PTSD and trauma in 2018. Months after his diagnosis, Lehner told his story in a chilling, personal, deeply-revealing Special To The Athletic. He opened up about how close he came to suicide — a shocking reality for someone who was simultaneously playing hockey at an elite level.

After this story was published, hockey culture — and even some unfamiliar with the sport — started to pay more attention to the mental health crisis. Vancouver Canucks’ forward Tyler Motte and former Colorado Avalanche forward Colin Wilson have since detailed their struggles with mental health issues, even citing Lehner as a reason why.

For a sport where athletes are frequently carried off the ice with injuries before they take a shift off, this has been a big change.

“I remember feeling empowered [by Lehner],” Motte told ESPN in 2020. “I respected [him], but I think at that time, I didn’t fully understand what I was going through either.”

Lehner is a hockey player, but his story became greater than hockey. It crossed into the national spotlight, showing how anybody — even a star athlete — could be dealing with mental illness.

Early Life

Lehner was born on July 24, 1991 in Gothenburg, Sweden. Like many European children, Lehner played soccer growing up. However, he ditched soccer and started playing hockey at 10-years-old — with dreams of becoming an NHL goalie.

Enter his father. Michael Lehner, a mixed martial artist with little on-ice experience, became his son’s trainer. Interestingly, the elder Lehner was asked to train future NHL All-Star Henrik Lundqvist at the same time. Lundqvist had heard about him from an equipment coach and wanted to learn from someone who had a fighter’s mentality.

Therefore, Lehner was frequently a test subject for Lundqvist’s intense workouts, which strained their relationship. Lehner was also jealous that his father was always with Lundqvist.

This led to the two having no father-son bond. It was just a goalie and his coach. Neighbors thought Lehner was working too hard and his father was a lunatic for what he put his son through. Lehner’s mother, Veronica, was even concerned, frequently mediating arguments.

“He was very tough when I was younger, because he knew I was behind, and if I didn’t have a good practice, or had a bad game, he was not very nice,” Lehner told the Ottawa Citizen. “But you know what? It’s a very big part of why, so far, I’m here.”

As he grew older, it was clear Lehner had a knack for hockey. School, on the other hand? Not so much. Lehner dropped out of high school when he was 14.

“I did not go to high school,” Lehner told the Ottawa Citizen. “After ninth grade, I went to high school and it did not work for me the first few weeks. So, I quit and started working a little bit. I wasn’t mature back then. I was decent in school, but I thought it was boring.”

With his new-found time, Lehner worked — and played hockey. 

Lehner’s amateur playing career began with the J20 SuperElit division of the Swedish Frölunda HC, where he had a 3.05 goals against average (GAA) and a .916 save percentage (SV%) in 22 games during the 2008–09 season.

After that campaign, Lehner was ranked the top European goaltender available in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau and was drafted 46th overall by the Ottawa Senators.

The Concussion That Started It All

Lehner’s tenure in Ottawa was rocky.

He started with the Senators’ American Hockey League squad, the Binghamton Senators, before becoming both the youngest goaltender in franchise history and the youngest Swedish goaltender when he made his NHL debut on Oct. 16, 2010 — at 19-years-old.

After eight NHL games during the 2010-11 season, Lehner returned to Binghamton, where he truly made his mark the year after. Lehner led Binghamton to their first Calder Cup and was awarded the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy, which is given to the most valuable player of the postseason.

This earned Lehner a promotion, as he became the backup in Ottawa for the next few seasons. However, on Feb. 16, 2015, in a game against the Carolina Hurricanes, his life changed forever.

Lehner’s teammate at the time, Clarke MacArthur, collided into Lehner on a Hurricanes’ goal, and both players left the contest with concussions.

“That concussion was not a fun one. I had that concussion throughout the summer,” Lehner told The Toronto Sun. “I lost my job. I had [a] front seat to my [television] in the living room losing my job, while having a concussion. That’s unfortunately what I remember most from Ottawa. It was a very, very tough time as a young guy. I just [had] my first kid, just settled into a town and the injury.”

“Unfortunately I got into the spiral of having a concussion — and started drinking — and seeing your life kind of slip away from you every day.”

This affected his relationships with his wife, child and teammates. His life was impacted by his manic highs and depressed lows, starting his downward spiral.

It also ended Lehner’s tenure with the Senators’ organization. A few months later, he was traded to the Buffalo Sabres at the 2015 NHL Draft for a first-round pick (No. 21).

Buffalo Blues

Lehner played well in his first two seasons with the struggling Sabres, compiling a .924 SV% in 2015-16 and a .920 SV% in 2016-17. While Lehner’s statistics were good, his mental health was getting significantly worse.

Similar to how his Senators’ career ended, tragedy struck in Lehner’s last game with the Sabres.

The date was March 29, 2018 and Lehner was unusually exhausted during a game against the Detroit Red Wings. In the first period, Lehner felt pain in his chest and was breathing heavily. When he entered the locker room during the first intermission, he knew something was wrong.

Nonetheless, like always, he battled through the pain and even played well. But during the second period, it got worse, and Lehner’s vision became blurry. After surviving the frame, Lehner once again returned to the locker room — and realized he was having a panic attack.

It all made sense. Lehner was battling alcohol and drug addiction for years — and he wanted to kill himself the night prior, he later revealed in his Special To The Athletic.

During Lehner’s panic attack, Sabres’ General Manager Jason Botterill left the press box to check in on Lehner, and the team eventually sent their starting goaltender home. On the drive back to his house, Lehner picked up some beer like he usually did, and when he arrived, he sat down and drank the night away.

He awoke in the middle of the night and for the first time, told his wife, Donya, that he needed help. After nearly taking his own life, Lehner finally realized what he needed to do.

A Trip To The Meadows

Lehner contacted the NHL and was sent to a rehabilitation center in Arizona called The Meadows. He was finally able to focus on his mental health, something that was faltering for years.

“Since the new year began I had been feeling severely depressed and my drinking increased,” Lehner wrote in his Special To The Athletic. “I was heavily drinking a case of beer a day just to settle the demons in my mind and then took pills to sleep. I was self-treating myself because I could not be inside my own head by myself. The thoughts of ending it all… it was real and close.”

Upon entry, Lehner was sent to a detoxification room, where he was unable to sleep well for three weeks. He was told his detoxification was one of the worst they had ever seen at The Meadows.

Five weeks into treatment, he received his diagnosis, which helped him start to get his life on track.

“I want people to know that there is hope in desperation, there is healing in facing an ugly past and there is no shame in involving others in your battle,” Lehner added. “My journey is still new. Every day is a battle and each day a new chance to grow as a man. It is time to take the ‘crazy person’ stamp from bipolar disorder. I am working hard to become the latest to battle this unfair stigma. Our battle together is just beginning.”

Captivating The Hockey World

After his treatment, Lehner signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the New York Islanders. This proved to be a bargain — the newcomer took Long Island by storm, winning 25 games to help the struggling Islanders surge into the postseason, while posting a 2.13 GAA and .930 SV% alongside six shutouts. Along with Thomas Greiss, Lehner won the William Jennings Trophy for allowing the fewest goals in the NHL.

“He came to our team after dealing with some personal stuff and was really motivated and really beloved by our fans,” Islanders’ forward Matt Martin told Newsday. “He’s a great goaltender. A great guy.”

But the lives Lehner impacted off the ice mean much more than what took place on it.

Take Kim Moisa, a third-generation Islanders’ fan from Commack, New York, for example. She was diagnosed with partial complex seizures during Lehner’s first year with the Islanders, and like many others, used Lehner’s story as motivation.

“It’s that person in your life where you look at them and you’re like, ‘It’s corny, but if they can do it, I can do it,’” Moisa told Las Vegas Review Journal. “[Lehner] helped me face my own demons.”

There is also young Jack Foley, who was born without the left side of his heart. Foley has had three open heart surgeries in his life, and doctors rewired his half of a heart to function as a whole one.

Lehner heard about Foley’s story and met with him after a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 1, 2019, where Lehner gave Foley an autographed stick and a big hug.

“Tough loss. But [meeting Foley] was a huge win,” Lehner wrote in a Tweet that was liked over 24,000 times. “[He is a strong kid] and I wish [him] the best! Thanks Jack.”

Other fans, including Andrew Gagnon of Uniondale, told Drive4Five that Lehner prompted them to see a therapist and get help.

Crossing Into Mainstream News and Social Media

For his honesty and bravery, Lehner won the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in 2019 “for best exemplifying the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey,” according to the NHL.

In a speech given on June 19, 2019 at the NHL Awards that transcended hockey and crossed the line into mainstream news, Lehner showed the world what it means to have a mental illness.

“I took that first step, got help and that was life-changing for me. And that’s something we gotta keep pushing for. We gotta end the stigma,” Lehner said during his speech. “I’m not ashamed to say I’m mentally ill, but that doesn’t mean mentally weak.”

National outlets including — but not limited to — Today, People and The Washington Post reported on Lehner’s message, showing it made a worldwide impact. Many of these organizations rarely covered hockey, but shared Lehner’s story.

Social media reactions also proved just how big Lehner’s impact was, as many people started discussing mental health awareness after Lehner’s speech was publicized.

“Thank you for being so open with your mental health and struggles in the hockey community,” Sarah Hartenstine wrote on Twitter. “You’ve made it easier for so many of my teammates and me to come forward about our struggles with mental illnesses in regards to hockey. You are amazing.”

“I have [Bipolar II Disorder] and… you speaking out and sharing your story has saved my life,” another Twitter user added. “When the isolation that comes with mental illness gets too much, you make me feel less alone. Thank you.”

Bigger Than Hockey

Lehner crossed into the mainstream media. After telling his story, he was no longer simply a hockey player. He was someone that millions could look up to.

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On Long Island, fans were moved by the success of their favorite goalie. If he could improve his life — while helping make the Islanders a contender — why couldn’t they improve theirs? 

“What we tried to start on the Island two years ago, he was a big part of it,” Islanders’ head coach Barry Trotz told Newsday. “His story was very impactful. He was a little bit broken and had lost his way. That maybe sort of reflected the franchise. We were a little bit broken. We were trying to pick up the pieces after [John] Tavares left.”

And around the United States, people started to realize that there should not be a stigma around mental health — and that it must be talked about.

“The way that he handled it really resonated with a lot of people,” Craig Oster, Lehner’s agent, told Las Vegas Review Journal. “To begin to be able to help others, he’s been able to help himself. That has been an incredible journey that he’s taken and he continues to go on.”

Lehner was close to ending it all. Instead, he got the help he needed, inspiring others to do the same while changing how people view mental health.

As an NHL goaltender, his main job is to stop pucks. But what he did to stop the stigma surrounding mental illness will forever be more important than any save.