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New York Islanders: Analyzing Anders Lee’s career 400 games in

By John Carroll Jr.

New York Islanders. Anders Lee (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)
New York Islanders. Anders Lee (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /
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New York Islanders. Anders Lee.
New York Islanders. Anders Lee (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Goal Scoring threat

One of the things we have learned in Lee’s career is that he is a perennial goal scorer. Like I mentioned earlier, he is slightly off this season. However, he is still doing well enough to lead the team in goals this year with 18.

Usually, Lee is near the top of the Isles in this department. He does have more assists than goals this season, but that is the exception, not the rule.

It is safe to assume that if Lee heats up a little bit, he could finish with around 30 goals this season. That could also be good enough to finish the season as the team’s leading goal scorer, a specialty he has acquired over his tenure.

Last season, Lee had 40 goals. That is an incredible achievement in the NHL. It might have taken him all 82 to do it, but it counts. Last year, that 40 led the team. The year before that in 2016-2017, he also led the team in goals with 34. In 2015-2016, he played 80 games and struggled, which is to date the worst season of his career.

Then, dating back to the front half of his 400 games he had 25 goals in 2014-2015. Once again, more goals than assists.

Overall, he has 142 goals in his career and has 103 assists. His assists numbers do not matter in the grand scheme of things because he has proven his speciality is lighting the lamp. The assists are just a perk.

These numbers are impressive because he has managed to lead the Isles in goals two times and is one pace to do so again this season. Half the time he has been with the Isles he led the team in goals.

Lee has proven to be a goal scoring threat. No matter what regime that has been under. No matter what line has been thrown on, and no matter how well his team has played. Lee finds the back of the net.

That is the kind of player the Isles, or any hockey team always need. 40 goal scorers don’t grow on trees. They are rare and Lee is one of them. Yes, the Isles were terrible the year he did so, but that shouldn’t reflect him.

After 400 games, Anders Lee is a goal scoring forward.

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