Josh Bailey offered an honest perspective on Anders Lee leaving the NY Islanders

Nearly a month has passed since Anders Lee signed a three-year contract with the Utah Mammoth, but for many around the New York Islanders, seeing the longtime captain in another uniform will still take some getting used to.

Few understand that transition better than Josh Bailey.

Lee's 14-year Islanders career came to an end July 1 when he signed a three-year, $16.2 million contract with Utah, closing the chapter on a tenure that included 923 regular-season games, the captaincy and a place among the franchise's most respected leaders.

For Bailey, Lee's departure brings back memories of his own exit from the only NHL organization he had ever known. "It's tough," Bailey said in Newsday. "I can relate in a lot of ways. You put your heart and soul into this place for a long time, and it comes to an end for all of us at some point."

Bailey spent 16 seasons with the Islanders after being selected ninth overall in the 2008 NHL Draft. Like Lee, he became synonymous with the organization, growing from a young prospect into one of the longest-tenured players in franchise history.

That shared experience made Bailey appreciate the opportunity Lee received in free agency.

"Thankfully for him, he gets a three-year deal out of it, and wish him nothing but the best," Bailey said. "I'm sure he'll do great there."

Matt Martin echoed similar sentiments, as a player that left the Island and then came back two years later and now works for the organization.

"Obviously, Anders was a great Islander and captain," Martin said. "He'll be missed in the locker room. He'll be missed in the community, but that is the business of hockey." The Isles will begin next season without one of the defining players of the past decade, but Lee leaves with the respect of teammates who understand what it means to dedicate so much of a career to one franchise.

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