What are the Islanders going to do with Anders Lee

While the Islanders' focus is on making the playoffs and trying to make a deep run, a big question looms. What are they going to do with Captain Anders Lee? The 35-year-old forward is in the final year of a seven-year deal he signed before the 2019-20 season. He is also the biggest pending free agent the Islanders currently have, as Tony DeAngelo and Carson Soucy are the only other NHL players on expiring contracts.

It's safe to say that Lee has lived up to his contract. Throughout the duration of his deal, he has appeared in 489 games, notching 153 goals and 134 assists. He was also the team's captain throughout the deal. While he has been productive, it is not a guarantee that Lee will return. He is nearing the end of his career, and we do not know how Mathieu Darche and the new front office values him. However, if the Islanders want to continue their success, they need to bring back Lee.

The Islanders need to bring Anders Lee back on a short term deal

This season, Lee has continued to do what he has done throughout his contract, serving as an important contributor on offense. In 73 games this season, he has racked up 16 goals and 22 assists for 38 points. He also has a 50.99 CF%, a 52.74 SCF%, and a 53.55 xG%, according to Natural Stat Trick. Despite his age, he is still generating offense at a decent level. He has not shown a sign of slowing down and continues to be a top-five point producer.

It's not just what he can do on the ice, but what he brings to the locker room. As mentioned before, Lee has been the captain of the Islanders since 2018. That is eight seasons with the same guy as the team's leader. This is someone who is entrenched with the team and its identity. He has seen both the good and bad and knows how to keep the locker room together. He also knows how to handle the media, which is extremely important in New York.

Taking someone like that out of the lineup can negatively impact the roster. While they may be able to replace his offensive production, there is no guarantee the leadership hole will be filled. Losing a voice like that could fracture the locker room, leading to poor on-ice performances. There are already questions about how sustainable the Islanders' current success is; they do not need something like the loss of their captain to cast more doubt.

Now, the Islanders cannot just give Lee whatever he wants. They need to take his age and the organization's future into account. But a two or three-year deal seems perfect for him. This is a deal that will bring him to his age 39 season, which should be when he hangs up the skates. His annual salary should also be around four to five million. This would be a steal for the Islanders and allows them to spend more of their projected cap space on other areas.

While this is a problem the Islanders will not have to face until the summer, it's something they need to start thinking about. They need to make sure they keep such a vital piece of their team.