- Anders Lee told the Islanders he is heading to the open market on July 1
- New York raised its offer late but still could not close the gap
- Read below for what Lee’s exit means for the Isles and his franchise legacy
The Islanders are losing their captain.
New York was informed Tuesday morning that Anders Lee plans to test the open market when free agency opens July 1, according to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun. The team pushed its offer higher in the final days of talks and still could not close the gap.
LeBrun said the door isn’t completely shut, but Lee will hear out other suitors first.
Here’s LeBrun with the report:
He’s spent his entire career on Long Island. The Isles drafted him in the sixth round, 152nd overall, back in 2009, and he grew into one of the most important players the franchise has had in the past decade.
Lee took over as captain in 2018 after John Tavares left for Toronto. He led the Isles to the playoffs five times, including back-to-back trips to the semifinals in 2020 and 2021.
The 35-year-old is wrapping up a seven-year, $7 million per season deal he signed in July 2019. He put up 42 points in 82 games this past season, so durability still isn’t an issue at this stage of his career.
His resume on Long Island speaks for itself. Lee ranks fourth in franchise history with 308 goals, fifth in games played at 923, and tenth in points with 549. Those are the kind of numbers that get a sweater raised to the rafters someday.
If Lee walks, he joins a loaded July 1 class. Jacob Trouba is also expected to reach the market, and New York has plenty of its own business to sort out this offseason.
The Isles can still make one more push. Once the market opens at noon Wednesday, though, the Edina, Minnesota native will have no shortage of teams calling.
