As the New York Islanders prepare for the 2025-26 season, one of the storylines hanging over the franchise is the future of captain Anders Lee. The 35-year-old winger is entering the final year of his seven-year, $49 million contract signed in the summer of 2019, and for new general manager Mathieu Darche, the plan is simple: wait and see.
Lee is coming off a resurgent campaign in which he rediscovered his scoring touch and proved he can still be an important piece in the Islanders’ lineup. After a difficult stretch of inconsistency the previous two seasons, the captain rebounded with a 29-goal season, reminding fans and teammates alike why he has been one of the team’s most reliable net-front presences for over a decade.