Letting Anders Lee walk hurts the Islanders' depth, but it's a necessary move
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Letting Anders Lee walk hurts the Islanders' depth, but it's a necessary move originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The New York Islanders are in a strange place in their competitive cycle.
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On one hand, they're starting to focus on the future with star defenseman and Calder Trophy winner Matthew Schaefer serving as the foundation of the franchise.
On the other hand, the Isles have many veteran Islanders players focused on winning a Stanley Cup now.
One of those players – veteran left winger and captain Anders Lee – may see his time on Long Island end this summer if the looming UFA decides to sign with a new team. In fact, it may be time for Lee and the Isles to go their separate ways.
Lee and the Islanders are far apart on contract talks, TSN's Pierre LeBrun reported last week. The 35-year-old's production fell to 19 goals and 42 points in 82 games, but he's hit the 20-goal plateau in nine of his 13 NHL seasons, proving he still has something to offer to a new team.
Lee is no longer worth the $7 million he's earned in each of the past seven seasons. But in the right scenario, Lee could be that depth addition that puts a team over the top as a Cup front-runner, or that pushes a team from the fringes of the playoff race into a deep playoff run.
For instance, would the Minnesota Wild be a good fit for Lee? He's from Minnesota, and his experience and leadership would make him a terrific addition as a secondary scorer for the Wild, who have six pending UFA forwards.
Meanwhile, the Isles' depth would take a huge hit if Lee leaves. Maybe that's a good thing, as it would prevent another "mushy middle" year for an Islanders organization that too often finishes out of a playoff spot and far from a high draft position. They can't win the lottery every year.
Isles GM Mathieu Darche had the good fortune of adding Schaefer last summer, but the Islanders have the No. 13 pick this year. They still need more franchise-caliber talent if they're going to emerge as a year-in, year-out championship-caliber front-runner.
In any case, with the Isles and Lee not close to a contract extension, it makes sense for him to test the waters and see what a team will pay him on a two-or three-year deal. The salary cap ceiling is rising exponentially, and when there's a dearth of veteran know-how in free agency, you'd better believe one team or another will step up with a healthy offer to sign Lee.
The Islanders have a projected $10.6 million in cap space this summer, and they've got very few UFAs or RFAs, so there's no financial reason preventing Lee from returning to the Isles.
With veterans on board, such as forwards Bo Horvat, Mathew Barzal, Brayden Schenn and goalie Ilya Sorokin, the Isles very much want to be a playoff team once again in 2026-27. But there must be changes to better position the franchise to contend for a Cup over the long term. That will mean significant changes to the Isles' roster, including Lee's potential departure so the squad can use that cap space elsewhere.
Lee has served the Islanders well, appearing in 923 regular-season games and posting 308 goals and 549 points. So if the road for him now has him leaving the Isles, he's going to leave a notable hole behind him.
And the team that steps up to sign Lee will no doubt be thrilled to add a pro's pro.
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