New York Islanders: Anders Lee is the Isles player with the most to prove this year

The New York Islanders are rolling into the 2018-2019 regular season with a new coaching staff and after missing the playoffs last two seasons. So, everyone must prove themselves, but no one more than Anders Lee.

The New York Islanders are as an organization trying to improve as a whole. They finally seem interested as a team trying to build something solid for the long-term.

Throw in the new regime with one of the deepest and best prospect pool’s in the league, and the Isles have a lot of players playing for their jobs this year.

Perhaps no player has more to prove this season than Anders Lee. Not only is it his contract year, but he is coming off an impressive 40 goal season and he needs to prove that was not a fluke.

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The other name that comes to mind in this argument is Mathew Barzal. He won the Calder, but what is next?

He will likely be the anchor of the top line and the guy the Isles build around. However, people expect him to have a slight fall off because, with the departure of John Tavares, it gives him a bigger role where there will be learning curves.

Building around Barzal is fine. It is a good plan actually. However, what it does is once again leave Anders Lee on the back burner.

Lee is a player who has done it right for a long time. He has now been consistently productive longer than most players on this team.

As talented as Barzal is, Lee is the leader of this team. Well, one of many, but he is someone who has backed up his role year after year.

His 40 goal season can be easily forgotten because of the Isles struggles as a team last year, but it is a rare milestone.

Now, the time has come for the Isles to make a decision. Who will be the next captain? Who will be the next player they sign to a long-term extension? What will happen if they miss the playoffs again?

A lot of those things come back to Lee. He is a player who might not get, but has surely earned the “C” patch. The Isles are in no rush to name their next captain, but by playing well again, Lee can speed up that process.

Lee also is a victim of John Tavares leaving. He is going to go from being on one of the most underrated but best lines in hockey last season, to a relatively unknown role this season.

It is easy to think that Tavares being a facilitator was the reason for Lee’s success but it is Lee’s ability to finish around the net that will make the difference again. He might not need anyone special to do that.

That is why he can prove that he is special. Sure, Lee is not the fastest player, but he has a knack for scoring. He is also not a player that the new regime really has anything left to teach, for his game is pretty much known.

He can prove it is not broken.

Anders Lee is one of those players where he goes under the radar because how he is productive and when he is productive is not always pretty. The Isles have also not experienced much success with the team’s he has been one.

But, Lee is a player who can be an All-Star he has been around the organization enough and is solid enough at hockey to be the next captain and to score a lot of goals again.

Lee needs to prove that he is ready for a bigger role with this team. He needs to prove he is one of the best offensive players in the league like most Isles fans know he is.

He has the opportunity to prove he does need a player like John Tavares. He can prove that he even made John Tavares look better.

Lee wants to earn a contract. Without guaranteeing or claiming something, I’m sure he wants to earn one with the Isles.

As fun as Barzal is to watch, and as great as it is that all these young Isles prospects are beginning to emerge in the preseason, it is Anders Lee who has the most to prove.

He needs to prove he should be around whatever Lou Lamoriello is trying to build. He needs to prove he is a player who will help the young talent on and off the ice.

For a big contract, you only need one, you only get one. Lee is one of many Islanders with an expiring contract, but he is the one who has put up the best numbers and been the most consistent out of all them.

But, he needs to do it one more time. The Isles can still build around Barzal or whatever they want. But Lee can still be the offensive sound veteran type player that helps get them over the hump.

It is appropriate that you can’t spell Islanders without Anders. But, it would be more appropriate if Lee once again proves to be a great player with essentially a whole different team.

Next. 3 reasons why the Isles can make the playoffs. dark

No one has more to prove than number 27. He has a real chance to emerge as a ready and established star.

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