Anders Lee

Lee was a bit of a disappointment last season, ending the campaign with just 20 goals -- a four-year low that was the result of below-average shooting luck and a reduced role on the power play. The Islanders ranked 22nd in goals per game for the second straight season under Barry Trotz in 2019-20, and no Islander has scored 30 goals under his structured, defense-first approach. That means it'll be difficult for Lee to crack 30 goals (he did it twice pre-Trotz) in 2020-21, though he retains some fantasy value due to his high-volume shooting and hitting. Without the peripherals, Lee falls into a glut of middle-class forwards without the upside of youth, talent or playing on a team that emphasizes offense, making him a mid-to-late round pick in most fantasy leagues.

This summer, the Islanders re-signed their captain, retaining him on a seven-year, $49 million deal. Lee failed to post his third straight 30-plus goal season in 2018-19, but somewhat made up for it by recording a career-high plus-20 rating. In comparison, in 2017-18 he submitted an ugly minus-25 rating. The decline in scoring should have been expected, as Lee scored 74 goals from 2016-18 behind an unsustainable 18.5 shooting percentage. The 29-year-old American fell back down to earth in that category during 2018-19, registering a 13.7 shooting percentage. The good news, though, is that he posted 200 shots on goal for the second straight season. If he does that again in 2019-20 and returns to his career norm 14.4 shooting percentage, he'll post the third 30-plus goal season of his career.

Lee continued to flourish and reached his full potential last season, becoming a 40-goal scorer and registering a career-best 62 points. But that was alongside center John Tavares, who has since signed a massive contract with the Maple Leafs. The good news for Lee, though, is reigning Calder Trophy winner Mathew Barzal — who averaged more than a point per game — will replace Tavares on the top unit, and Lee records so much of his production on the power play. He scored 14 goals on the man advantage last season, which was tied for sixth most in the league. Tavares leaving hurts his value, but Lee still has a good chance to record his third straight 30-goal campaign and should be drafted confidently after the elite wingers are gone.

Few players in the league were able to raise their profiles as much as Lee did last season, as he exploded for 34 goals and 52 total points while spending a lot of time on John Tavares’ left wing for the Isles. His line was rather light on assists and his shooting percentage was sky high, but even if his goal total regresses, Lee should be in for another productive season on a stacked top line (and top power-play unit) with Tavares and Jordan Eberle. The Notre Dame product is also likely to see a noticeable increase in ice time from last year's 15:35 into the 17-minute range, which certainly won't hurt. Owners in leagues that count hits will find Lee especially useful, as the big winger has picked up 160-plus in three straight seasons, and he’s even chipped in a mildly helpful 50-plus PIM over the last couple campaigns, making for a well-rounded fantasy line.

It’s not often that general managers and scouts enter the sixth round of an entry draft with the expectations of finding an impact player for their team. There is certainly hope, of course, which is why these rounds exist. The Islanders certainly found a diamond in the rough with top-six forward Lee being taken at No. 152 overall in 2009. The 26-year old winger took a bit of a dive in the goal-scoring department last season, lighting the lamp just 15 times after putting up 25 tallies in 2014-15. Entering this season, the latter is the expectation as he tries to shake off his inconsistencies from a year ago. Note, however, that Lee was an absolute ghost when the Islanders lost last year, tallying an unfathomable two points in 26 regulation losses despite finishing with 44 points. That being said, the Isles will certainly be looking to find ways to improve Lee’s consistency this season, so don’t rule out the Minnesota native knocking on the door of the 50-point plateau for the first time in his career.

After playing just 24 games across his first two NHL seasons, Lee emerged as one of the biggest surprises for the Islanders in 2015-16. After a productive career at Notre Dame, where he scored 116 points in 125 games, Lee turned opportunities playing alongside John Tavares into the second-highest goal output on the team. In 76 games, Lee scored 25 goals to go along with 16 assists. The 6-foot-3 Lee has a big body that he parks in front of the net and cleans up whatever rebounds may be available, leading to an efficient 12.7 shooting percentage, in line with his rate from the previous season despite taking three times more shots. After getting a new contract and garnering Calder Trophy votes, Lee will try and parlay his success from last season into another standout year.

How the Islanders handled Lee last season was once again perplexing. They buried him in the AHL for most of the season before calling him up for the last quarter of the season and saw him shine, scoring nine goals and 14 points. How the team handles their young players has been a huge question mark but this season the problem could be that with John Tavares, Mikhail Grabovski, and Frans Nielsen anchoring the top three lines there will only be room left for one other center. Lee will need to prove himself once again during training camp to avoid another trip to the AHL.

Lee actually played in two games for the Islanders at the end of last season, scoring a goal and assist. Lee proved offensively that he may be ready to play in the NHL, but he did have problems in the defensive end. Coming out of college, Lee may need a little bit more seasoning in the AHL to get used to professional hockey before he is ready to become a full-time member of the Islanders.

Lee is a top prospect for the Islanders but has elected to stay at Notre Dame for another season and fight for a national championship. He is at least one more year away from playing professional hockey. Keep an eye on him.

Lee has not yet turned pro as he is still playing at Notre Dame. Although Lee doesn't project to be a superstar, he has all the talent to be a solid second-line center in the NHL. He has good size, is defensively responsible, an asset on faceoffs, and can put the puck in the net. This combination makes him someone to watch in the next couple of years.