Tomorrow night could be the final game Anders Lee plays as a member of the NY Islanders

Since making his debut with the NY Islanders in 2013, Anders Lee has been the consummate professional and the identity of the organization. Scoring in his NHL debut in 2012 on a harmless shot towards the net that beat Ondrej Pavelec of the Winnipeg Jets, Lee's 308 goals are the most among any Islanders player since.

With one game remaining, Lee's contract is set to expire, making him an unrestricted free agent beginning July 1. Having called Long Island home for the past 13 years, there's mutual interest among both sides to keep him in blue and orange, but it would need to be a deal that works.

At the trade deadline, the Islanders announced a contract extension with JG Pageau, but as of now, nothing with Lee.

“Anders was great about it,” Darche said regarding Pageau's extension. “He’s a pro. It was important for me to have that discussion with him a few weeks ago about where we were going. When we pretty much had the deal done with Pageau, I made sure to sit down with him to explain why, and he understood... He was a true pro about it. He understands it’s about this year and going forward, and for me, it was about managing assets.”

Lee was named Captain of the NY islanders before the 2018-19 season. His eighth season wearing the "C" ties him with Denis Potvin for the longest tenured captaincy in Islanders history.

It's hard to imagine Lee playing for any team but the Islanders, but with much of the roster in place for next season, any additions require roster space, and Lee could become the odd man out, turning 36 before the start of the 2026-27 season.

Tuesday will be an emotional night for Lee as he doesn't know his fate going forward. And if it is his final game, few players could have represented the organization as well as he did.

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