Former Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner speaks out in bankruptcy case | Golden Knights

For the first time in more than two years, former Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner has opened up publicly about his ongoing legal and personal challenges, disputing claims that he has been unreachable and incommunicado.

Court documents filed by several attorneys in October alleged that Lehner was no longer responding to attorneys involved in the Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection that Lehner and his wife, Donya Lehner, filed in 2022 because they owed creditors $27.1 million. Lehner took out and defaulted on several business loans.

Attorneys also alleged that Lehner had not filed a change of address form with the court after leaving the couple’s former multimillion-dollar primary Las Vegas residence.

Lehner expressed frustration at the ordeal he and his family have faced in the wake of injuries that kept him off the ice and an ongoing years-long bankruptcy battle.

“I don’t need sympathy or anything; screw it, he said during an exclusive phone interview with the Review-Journal. “Take something that’s true and I can take it like a man. But everything is fake. No one knows what has happened to my family and my life after many of these things, and many, of course, will see in the future, what actually happened.

“But this portrays me as going AWOL and answering to no one,” said Lehner, who declined to say where he lived but maintained that he remains in communication with his family and loved ones.

Rejects former attorney’s claims

Lehner claims he had a power of attorney dealing with his former attorney Zach Larson and the law firm of Larson and Zirzow, LLC. He said Larson and the law firm had clear instructions to let him know if there was anything he needed to be involved in or something he needed to be made aware of.

Lehner said that after he could no longer continue to pay Larson for his legal services, talks between the two sides stopped in December 2023 and that he was not the one to avoid his role in the bankruptcy case.

“But unfortunately, other circumstances … will come up in the future and people can judge me on that. I couldn’t keep paying,” Lehner said. “And when I couldn’t keep paying, well, let us just lying in court and now (the papers) are saying this and it looks good to me (as) a father,” he said sarcastically.

He went on to say, “Have I been around trying to fix things and trying to do good things? Yes, of course.”

Lehner also denied a lawsuit that revealed he and his wife sold numerous high-end clothing items, shoes and handbags, claiming those items do not exist, in text messages with RJ shortly after the phone call.

Lawson did not immediately respond to multiple requests for comment.

Lehner said he believes the negative publicity he is receiving as a result of his bankruptcy case tarnishes his reputation.

“Since I actually had a pretty good reputation built up since I was in rehab with a good year on Long Island — the best organization ever,” Lehner said. “Up to Chicago, it was great. And Vegas, I said it from the beginning, horrifying, I don’t give a shit. They have no emotions, and that’s why they win. Is that a good thing? Is that how it’s supposed to be be? I don’t know. I don’t care.”

NHL career in question

Lehner declined to comment on whether his physical condition and injuries, and subsequent surgeries he would undergo, would lead to the end of his NHL career.

He joined the Knights in February 2020 via a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks, and in October 2020 he signed a five-year, $25 million contract with the team. He last played a game for the Knights on April 20, 2022. Lehner first played in the NHL in the 2010–11 season, as a member of the Ottawa Senators.

Reptile farm

A Missouri reptile farm owned by Lehner attracted a lot of attention during his bankruptcy proceedings after the former owner of the farm was murdered by his wife. Lehner takes exception to how the problem with the reptile farm was first reported because of an initial story that claimed he was going bankrupt solely because of the farm and a related $50 million debt attached to it.

Lehner said he had good intentions when he acquired the farm, but the situation didn’t turn out the way he envisioned.

“I was actually trying to do a good thing with the snakes,” Lehner said. “I have been an animal lover all my life. I have seen how much the USA imports all the snakes from the wild. I have been all over Florida, everyone who sells animals in the US I know very personally. That’s an insane amount. So I wanted to do a pension scheme that was screwed up for other reasons and do some good and so captive bred reptiles and stop taking them from the wild. But it’s not even close to what all these guys are saying.”

While the reptile farm wasn’t a big moneymaker, Lehner said he had been happy to own the reptile farm, but “a lot of other things that will come out in the future ruined it.”

Personal matches

Outside court, Lehner said he has been going through some personal issues that he will reveal at some point in the future.

“But it was a very tough time, because I blame myself, and I don’t want to say it’s everybody else’s fault, but the media blew it up,” Lehner said. “I’ve been trying to come back ever since.”

Lehner’s mental health struggles have been well-documented throughout his career, particularly after he completed substance abuse rehab and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. He gave a powerful speech in 2019 to a nationally televised audience when he accepted the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which is awarded each year to the NHL player who “best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to ice hockey.”

While reviewing his recent struggles, Lehner said he’s been through the wringer, but he’s not looking for anyone’s pity.

Time to speak up

After staying out of the limelight for years, Lehner said the whole situation has been a tough one for him, and he felt it was time to finally address the situation.

“I’ve been quiet for a long, long time, and obviously everything since the beginning has been very hard on me and my family,” Lehner said. “They do their best. I do my best.”

Contact Mick Akers at [email protected] or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on X.