New York Islanders forward and captain, Anders Lee, was potentially the most talked about player on the team this season. He was coming off back-to-back 28-goal seasons, and expected to hit the 30-goal mark with the addition of Bo Horvat to his line. However, his season was disappointing, and Islanders’ fans seem to be split on the best direction to take with the 33-year-old. So, which path should the Islanders take with him?
Buy Out Lee
The Islanders’ first option is to buy out the remainder of Lee’s contract. He has two seasons remaining at $7 million per season. A buyout would leave the Islanders with a $2.875 million cap hit in the 2024-25 season, $4.225 million in the 2025-26 season, and $1.725 million for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons.
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Doing the calculations, it is pretty clear that buying out Lee’s contract makes no sense for the Islanders. With the extra $4.125 million the team would have to spend this offseason, they would be doubtful to find someone better than their captain. Lee still scored 20 goals this season and the Islanders would not have many ways to fill that hole through free agency. Pending free-agent left-wingers who are expected to score 20-plus goals next season are Jake DeBrusk, Anthony Mantha, Anthony Duclair, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Tyler Bertuzzi, and all are likely to fetch $4 million or more on their next contracts.
A Lee buyout would be nothing more than a symbolic move that hurts the Islanders down the line. It would leave the team with millions in dead money per season, handicapping management on a roster that is already in a tight salary position long-term. The Islanders should by no means consider buying out Lee, at least this offseason.
Trade Lee
The second option, and significantly more probable, is for the Islanders to trade Lee. Speculation has already grown among fans online, and recent trades could hint at a future move. By the Islanders trading for an additional second-round draft pick with the Chicago Blackhawks, they brought in a valuable asset that could be used to shed Lee’s contract.
There is a lot to like for teams in Lee, and there will be multiple suitors out there. The six-year Islanders’ captain won the 2024 King Clancy Memorial Trophy, presented annually to the NHL player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution to his community. He has been a leader on and off the ice for the Islanders, and he is a former 40-goal scorer. The only issue in bringing in Lee is his contract, but that should be no issue for teams that would be looking for a player like him.
Paired with a second-round pick and an additional asset, teams trading for Lee will likely get paid to add him to their roster. If he were to be making $4 or 5 million on his contract, he would likely fetch a positive return, so for teams such as Utah and the Blackhawks with tens of millions in projected cap space, adding the veteran makes tons of sense. Chicago was also one of the teams heavily recruiting Lee when he was an unrestricted free agent and has shown an interest in veteran forwards, evident in the signings of Nick Foligno and Corey Perry.
Another reason rebuilding teams should trade for Lee is he will become a great trade chip down the line. If he joins a rebuilding team’s top six and powerplay, he could score 25 to 30 goals with ease. From there, he can get flipped at the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline with retention on his contract for draft picks or other assets. Of course, there is a lot that has to go well for that to happen, but trading for Lee should not be viewed as a cap dump, but rather a reclamation project with a bit of risk.
With Lee still having two years left, making $7 million each season, the Islanders will have a tough decision to make. While change is needed on the roster, the team needs to make the best decision in the short and long term, and buying out Lee’s deal would be a mistake.
