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New York Islanders: Remember When Colin McDonald Played Over Anders Lee

By Matt O'Leary

UNIONDALE, NY - APRIL 25: Colin McDonald #13 of the New York Islanders and Mike Green #52 of the Washington Capitals get the gloves up in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2015 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on April 25, 2015 in Uniondale, New York. The Islanders defeated the Capitals 3-1. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
UNIONDALE, NY - APRIL 25: Colin McDonald #13 of the New York Islanders and Mike Green #52 of the Washington Capitals get the gloves up in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2015 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on April 25, 2015 in Uniondale, New York. The Islanders defeated the Capitals 3-1. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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Colin McDonald signed with the New York Islanders’ AHL affiliate yesterday. Who remembers when he played over Anders Lee in the playoffs.

Yesterday, the New York Islanders AHL affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers made some depth signings to their roster. One of the people signed was familiar face Colin McDonald who was with the Islanders from 2012-2015.

McDonald’s best year with the Isles came in 2012-2013 when he had 18 points in the lockout-shortened season. He had a big playoff series that year against Pittsburgh putting up two goals and an assist in six games.

Arguably the oddest part of his Islanders tenure was 2014-2015. During the regular season, he only played 18 games. He was essentially a fill-in guy for whenever the Isles needed to make a lineup change or if there was an injury.

Well, in Games 6 and 7 with the Islanders down 3-2 at the time, coach Jack Capuano decided to scratch Anders Lee in favor of Colin McDonald. For context, Lee put up 25 goals in his rookie year that season. The move was certainly a head-scratcher but nonetheless it worked in Game 6 with McDonald on the third line.

The Isles did not have that same luck in Game 7. They would go on to lose the game 2-1, a game in which they only mustered up 11 shots total. Only two forwards, Frans Nielsen and Kyle Okposo were able to muster up shots the rest came from the blue line. It was one of the worst offensive displays that I’ve ever seen.

Maybe things would’ve been different with a 25 goal scorer in the lineup. There’s no way to tell but it certainly didn’t help to have Colin McDonald on the ice for that one.

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