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At what cost, continuity? | NHLI via Getty Images
Anders Lee became Islanders captain at an oh-so-needed time, with unanimous support from players meeting new coach Barry Trotz, the first and very inspirational step of healing after the last captain turned pajamas and ran.
The years since that franchise turning point in 2018 have been a success compared to any other stretch in franchise history other than the dynasty (including its run-up and cool-down). Not championship level or banner-raising, but still pretty good in comparison to what came before.
Yet here we are, by circumstance and time, with Lee’s future uncertain at age 35. He’s climbed to 10th on the franchise all-time points list, he’s become its longest-serving captain, as its public face he hasn’t put a single wrong foot forward.
But again: he’s 35, coming off his lowest goal output in six seasons (short of the standard 20 by just a goal, but still…optics), and for a team that needs turnover, he’s the only meaningful cap hit that is eligible for departure by attrition.
Age and its effects come for all of us except those musicians who depart at 27.
In his first year as GM, Mathieu Darche has either been judicious about long-term commitments (trading Noah Dobson instead of doubling down on the phone carrier) or curiously bold (extending the physical Alex Romanov for eight years).
Mid-season, Darche was conservative but realistic in extending 33-year-old J-G Pageau at a slight pay cut amid a rising cap. Presumably, unless there’s some deeper judgment of his ability to “lead” with the C, Darche is taking a similar or even harder approach with Lee, who plays a less premium position and is a couple of years older, a couple of mph slower.
Lee has been a good soldier and it would be a great story for him to share the 27 banner with John Tonelli after being a one-franchise guy and captain for a decade. But he — and his agent, because there’s always an agent — likely need to calibrate their expectations to make it so.
Our offseason report cards, in the rare-as-an-eclipse years that we get to some, are not supposed to be so focused on the future, but that’s hard to avoid in this case. A really big decision awaits both the franchise and the player and it’s been silent since the end of the season.
2025-26 Report Card
But back to the primary task. What are we evaluating here?
By our falls-short-or-exceeds expectations scale, Lee maybe slightly exceeded expectations with the season he had, given many around here forecasted nothing but precipitous decline. But a drop from 29 goals to 19 — while power play goals held steady at five — is not nothing, though it also came amid a drop in TOI of nearly 90 seconds per game (15:38 vs. 17:04).
His shooting percentage dropped below 10 percent for the first time since 2015-16, but we’re still talking a bounce here, a bounce there and he’d have exceeded his similar shot-volume (and similar TOI) 20-goal season of 2023-24, two seasons ago.
The commitment is never lacking and his effect on the overall squad as a captain seems real — though the Isles have a couple of former captains in Bo Horvat and Brayden Schenn, the latter whose aging effects will surely rival if not exceed Lee’s.
Anyway, Lee had a fine season for a 35-year-old winger without speed. He plugged in on various lines as needed. His highest threat has always been with size and decent hands around the net, not shots from distance or chances off the rush. So that can hopefully continue for another few seasons if he and his agent agree to reduced terms.
But if not, it wasn’t the worst way to close out a 13-year run. I’m reminded of what he said 16 years ago while still in the USHL and prioritizing a college degree: “No matter what, hockey’s going to end at some point.”
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