Anders Lee spent 14 of his NHL seasons wearing a New York Islanders sweater. This may be about to change soon.
Lee spoke about his future on Islanders breakup day on Wednesday and why his exit interview with GM Matthew Darche was important.
The Islanders captain recently completed a seven-year, $49 million contract, which he signed on July 1, 2019, the first day he was eligible for a contract extension. The Isles' sixth-round choice in the 2009 NHL Draft is coming off a 19-goal, 42-point season in which he played all 82 games.
Anders Lee wants to re-sign with the Islanders
Lee will turn 36 on July 3, two days after he can become an unrestricted free agent, and he is interested in returning to the Islanders for his 15th NHL season. New York's captain is the team's second-longest-tenured player behind fourth-line center Casey Cizikas.
He said before the team's season finale on Tuesday that he was looking forward to accomplishing the Islanders' goal of reaching the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1984.
"I've given this organization my all," Lee said before the Islanders' game against the Carolina Hurricanes. "This is where I've played my entire career. This is where I've played the best I can."
He said Wednesday that he expects he doesn't get free agency — and he plans to begin his potential talks with Darche during his exit interview.
"I think it's very important," Lee said of the conversation with Darche. “We can start figuring things out here and having conversations and seeing where he is at and similarly with me.
“We're at the point where we can do that now.”
Darche said he had spoken to some members of the Islanders for their exit interviews, but had not done so at the time of their post-season media availability. But he reiterated Lee's importance.
"I have the utmost respect for Anders Lee," Darche said. "I told Anders I would love to see him play 1,000 games for the Islanders. What does that look like, and are we able to find something that is a good fit for us and him, we will discuss."
According to Darche, Lee is just 77 games away from playing 1,000 games in the NHL. Given that he has missed just one game over the last four seasons, Lee is likely to reach that milestone sometime in April 2027.
Still, it remains to be seen if he does the same in an Islanders uniform.
"I know he's not far away [1,000 games]," Darche said. "I would love to see it, but I'm always waiting to see what other options we have [and] What do we need to do to move this roster forward?
“But the way Anders played this year, I think he can still help us.”
Anders Lee's teammates call him 'the savior'
Lee's expiring contract will create roster flexibility, and if he returns at a lower salary-cap fee, the Islanders may have a chance to make a financial decision that could ultimately make them better.
But Lee's teammates also know what the Islanders would lose if he were allowed to leave in free agency.
"He's been a team captain and leader for most of my career," defenseman Ryan Pulock said. “He's been a key guy here, a key part of our success, a leader, a protector for a lot of people here. He's really done it all, and I'm proud to be his teammate.
"He's given everything he's got every night for what he's done for this franchise, for the Island."
Lee's contributions included more than 308 goals and 549 points in 923 games. Amid a growing trend for captains to shy away from the media, Lee is one of the Islanders players most often speaking after wins and losses.
His teammates also find him approachable and easy to talk to about things going on in their lives.
“He stands up for everybody here, not only on the ice but off the ice,” center Jean-Gabriel Pageau said. "Sometimes when you need to talk to someone, he's very easy to talk to. That's why he's a great captain and leader."
So the uncertainty is going to weigh heavily on both players and fans, even if Lee and the Islanders are likely to reach a one- or two-year contract at a low salary-cap number. Despite Darche's laudatory comments about his captain, the one thing he didn't say when asked if Lee would return next season was "yes."
Nor did Lee mention what kind of pay cut/hometown discount he would be willing to sign.
"They're hard to talk about," Pulock said. "You don't know when your contract is up, you never know what can happen."
