The expected path for Anders Lee once free agency began Wednesday at noon is now the official path for the Islanders’ captain.
Lee will test the market despite the Islanders improving their offer, according to TSN, and while the Islanders remain an option, he’ll reportedly listen to offers from other teams, too.
And if Lee departs, it’ll mark the end of a 14-year tenure with the Islanders that started in 2009 as a sixth-round draft pick, reached the NHL three years later when he debuted and then took on a deeper meaning when he became captain in 2018.
When asked about the status of Lee and negotiations on Friday, general manager Mathieu Darche said, “We’ll see” and added that he was still talking with agent Neil Sheehy.
“We’ll see what happens in the next three days,” Darche said.
That conclusion has now seemingly settled into place. It’s a risky one, especially if Lee ends up departing. And it’ll instantly become the primary question the Islanders stare down in free agency.
There will be a handful of what-ifs lingering, too, if Lee signs elsewhere. Lee — who finished with 19 goals and 42 points in 2025-26 — and the Islanders lost to the Lightning in the Eastern Conference finals six years ago and haven’t won a playoff series since. He’ll finish 77 games short of becoming the fourth player in Islanders history to skate in 1,000 games with the team.
But before the 2026-27 campaign begins, before the Islanders assemble for training camp and address the major void in their lineup, they’ll need to name a new captain. That’ll be the most daunting reality check of all.