Debunking Anders Lee Disinformation
New York Islanders captain Anders Lee did not have a strong showing in the playoffs, but the backlash towards him has been a head scratcher, writes Stefen Rosner.
We all know how fandoms work, especially in New York.
If a player is dominating, the fans have their back, but people are quick to point a finger at any moment of failure or weakness.
Athletes understand it, and more often than not, fans' actions are fueled by passion, not hate.
But what has been said, tweeted, and posted about New York Islanders captain Anders Lee since the season ended needs to be discussed.
There's no question Lee struggled mightily in the playoffs. He was slow, struggled in front of goal, and had just one goal and no assists in the six-game series against the Carolina Hurricanes.
"That side of it was really tough. It's a couple of bounces here and there, but I felt that I had my opportunities to score in the series, and I wasn't able to put it in the net," Lee said during his end-of-the-season interview. "And so that's a tough pill to swallow, and that's something that I have to sit on for a little bit here."
Lee continued: "I can't change that. So that's been that part isn't enjoyable. It's feeling like you came up short and feeling like, yeah, you didn't have a big moment for the team, and so yeah, that's what I have to sit on for a little bit here and come back and continue to get those opportunities and those chances and hope to put a few more in next time. Unfortunately, in our game, it's tight. Like, it was a tight series. And just the opportunities and the touches I had, I wasn't able to get it to go, so yeah, that's frustrating."
If Lee had a strong showing in the postseason and potted maybe one to two more goals, there would be no discussions about his play.
However, that didn't happen, and here we are.
Most of the attention over the last two seasons has been on Brock Nelson, and rightfully so, as he potted 36 and 37 goals the previous two seasons.
Although Lee hasn't scored over 30 goals since 2017-18 (40), he's scored 28 goals in back-to-back seasons.
There's a crowd out there that believes Lee can no longer skate, and it's just incredibly funny to see things like that.
Most of Lee's minutes this past season came alongside Brock Nelson and then Bo Horvat, and he was just fine.
Speaking, or writing rather, of Horvat, there's the belief that Lee and Horvat do the exact same things on the ice, so it makes no sense why head coach Lane Lambert would play them together.
False.
While both can win puck battles down low, Horvat prefers to be much higher in the slot, while Lee stations himself, usually, at the top of the crease.
To go a step further, Lee loves to move to the strong side in an effort to screen the goaltender. With the puck on his stick, driving to the net is his cup of tea.
More often than not, Horvat drifts to the weak side to create a passing option and takes the puck wide rather than moving towards goal.
So, the two can play together, and Lee is likely to slot in on Horvat's left this season.
The biggest issue many have with Lee is that he's making $7 million a year and "isn't a $7 million player".
And that gripe is understandable.
There are 17 left-wingers who make more than Lee does annually, with Lee sitting 20th amongst left-wingers in goals this past season.
Of the 19 left wingers ahead of Lee in the goal total, eight have a cap hit greater than his., per CapFriendly.
But you need to remember that Lee got his seven-by-seven deal after the Islanders missed out on Artemi Panarin, who chose the New York Rangers in free agency for less money.
That contract was also before his knee injury, and it was an overpay, as we see that often for Islanders to keep players on the island.
Was Lee the player the Islanders should have overpaid to keep?
The Islanders had just lost their former captain John Tavares in free agency the offseason prior, and it was obvious the Islanders weren't going to let another captain walk away in the same fashion -- for nothing.
Given how cap-strapped the Islanders have been the last two seasons, people certainly can point at Lee's contract as a reason why.
A reason why...not the reason why.
The season before Lee signed his long-term deal, he scored 28 goals with 23 assists.
In his first season following his deal, Lee saw the goals dip, scoring just 20 in what was a 68-game season due to COVID-19.
Then came the knee injury, ending his 2020-21 season after just 27 games, with 12 goals (on pace for 36 in a full season).
In 2021-22, a healthy Lee reached the 28-goal mark for the first time in two seasons before mimicking that output again this past season.
As mentioned, Lee has been consistent with his production, and if Lee does play alongside Horvat and Barzal this season, the 33-year-old forward will have plenty of opportunities to find the back of the net.
And if Lee wants to quiet the select haters out there wrong, potting goals is the best silencer.
Join Stefen Rosner's New York Islanders page on Bunches, a new app that connects sports fans. Also, you can listen to Rosner talk Islanders hockey on Hockey Night in New York with co-host Sean Cuthbert Sunday nights at 8 PM ET during the season.