The New York Islanders game against the New Jersey Devils on March 24 was already out of reach. They were down 3-0 in the second period and considering how the offense has looked lately, with only 15 goals in the last seven games, a comeback felt like an impossible task (they lost 4-0 in the end but that’s an afterthought). It’s when the game already felt out of hand when Anders Lee took the penalty of the game.
Related: Islanders & Red Wings Already Regretting Trade Deadline Silence
He clipped the Devils forward Nico Hischier with knee-on-knee contact, a hit that can become career-threatening. Lee subsequently dropped the gloves to fight Timo Meier and by the end of the chaos, he was given a five-minute penalty for the hit, a five-minute penalty for the five, and a game misconduct. The in-game penalties are probably just the beginning. Lee will likely see a suspension following the hit and the Islanders will have to make up ground in the standings without him for a few games.
The sequence summarized the season for Lee and the Islanders. The game was already getting out of hand and things went from bad to worse. Lee’s struggles particularly have a trickle-down effect, and have left the Islanders a step behind the rest of the Eastern Conference.
Lee’s Skating Leading to Poor Play
This issue can be traced back to March 2021, a game the Islanders ironically enough, played the Devils. That’s when Lee suffered a season-ending injury as he tore his ACL and missed the team’s push for the playoffs and chase for the Stanley Cup. ACL injuries take time to heal from a minimum of six months to a year and Lee was no exception. He was back on the ice at the start of the 2021-22 season but didn’t find his footing until halfway through the season. More importantly, even after recovering, he wasn’t the same skater as he was before the injury.
Age has played a factor in his decline as a skater as well. When he suffered the injury, he was 30 years old and in the prime of his career. He’s now 33 and noticeably on the decline. It leaves him a step behind and it makes a difference in multiple facets of his game. Lee is taking more penalties, making more mistakes, and struggling to keep up with the rest of the league with his lack of speed being a primary factor.
Lee is just one of the many skaters on the team dealing with this issue. The Islanders as a whole are an aging and notably slower team. The underlying stats per NHL EDGE have them as an average team when it comes to speed, bursts, and skating distance but those numbers are inflated in part because of Mathew Barzal. After him, the drop is noticeable as the Islanders look like a slow team and it’s costing them down the stretch.
Lee’s Regressed to a One-Dimensional Forward
Lee was always a scorer first and passer second but these days, he’s regressed into a one-trick pony. Not only is he just a scorer, he’s only scoring from the dirty areas, specifically, the crease, near the net, and the slot. Dirty goals are nothing to frown at after all Zach Hyman has scored 41 of his 50 goals from high-danger areas. The problem is Lee isn’t dominant as a finisher either. He only has 18 goals this season.
His problems are the Islanders’ problems at large. In a league that demands versatility, they lack it outside of Barzal, Bo Horvat, Brock Nelson, and defenseman Noah Dobson. It’s one of the reasons they lost the First Round series to the Carolina Hurricanes and the reason their offense falls apart after the top two lines.
The problems start with Lee but aren’t exclusive to him. Jean-Gabriel Pageau has regressed into a passer who struggles to find the back of the net (he’s only scored 22 goals in the last two seasons). The fourth line has a strong forechecking presence but won’t generate much offense. The defense outside of Dobson, struggles to make an impact at the point. The Islanders were built to fail with the way the roster was structured and the lack of versatility is leaving them on the outside of the playoff picture looking in.
Lee Leads by Example
It used to be that Lee was the player who set the tone and gave the Islanders their identity. He was a player willing to take the hits and deliver them as well. He’d drop the gloves if needed and grind out every shift, something the rest of the team embodied. A few seasons back, it gave the team an edge as they’d be a resistance in some ways to an evolving league. Other teams would have skill and speed in their top six and Lee would put the opponents in their place. Now, the team’s identity has made them one of the weaker teams in the league. The captain sets the tone but unfortunately, he’s not doing a great job at it.
What Might Come Next
If changes are on the horizon, a big if considering Lou Lamoriello is currently the general manager of this team (currently being the keyword there), Lee might be a part of them. He won’t be traded and he’ll likely retire an Islander. That said questions about his role on the team will be asked. He’s already seen a decrease in his ice time (15:37 is his lowest since the 2016-17 season) and the next obstacle is whether he’ll remain the captain or not.
Lee leads the team both on and off the ice but the Islanders, especially if they are looking to start a new era, might need to look elsewhere for their next leader. They need a younger skater who can pave the way for a new team whether it’s Barzal or Dobson or another skater poised to become the next leader in the locker room.
