Could Islanders captain Anders Lee be a trade possibility as deadline nears?
Anders Lee #27 of the Islanders skates against the Dallas Stars at UBS Arena on Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025 in Elmont. Credit: Jim McIsaac
BOSTON — The longstanding Islanders’ core could be down to just a handful of games left together depending on how president/general manager Lou Lamoriello evaluates the best course of action leading into next Friday’s NHL trade deadline.
Three matches remain after the Islanders looked to snap a four-game losing streak against the similarly slumping Bruins on Thursday night at TD Garden.
And while pending unrestricted free agents Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri have naturally attracted the most trade speculation, they are not the only ones Lamoriello may have to consider.
There’s a strong belief Anders Lee is drawing plenty of league-wide interest. However, that is very different than saying Lamoriello is open to moving his captain or has given inquiring callers any indication that would be a possibility.
Still, Lee could be an asset to a playoff contender. At 34, the power forward has been one of the Islanders’ most consistent performers with 23 goals and 18 assists in 57 games entering Thursday.
Lee, who has one season remaining on his seven-year, $49 million deal, has spent plenty of time on Bo Horvat’s top line with injuries twice sidelining Mathew Barzal, including currently.
“Hey, look, I haven’t thought about it,” Lee told Newsday. “I don’t really have much to add on that. It’s always a possibility, if you put some thought into it. It’s always a possibility. It’s not what I want but it is what it is. At the same time, it is the truth that that stuff is out of our control.
“We show up every day and do our best and put our best foot forward. It’s no different with my mindset of just trying to help this team win hockey games and put ourselves in the playoffs.”
Lee had a full no-trade clause through the first five seasons of his contract. But that has morphed into a modified, 15-team no-trade clause for this season and next.
That list was submitted in the offseason.
If the Islanders can’t play their way out of this slide, Lamoriello — always loath to give up on a playoff chase regardless the odds — could also consider several other trade options to acquire future assets.
The Islanders now have a surplus of defensemen with Noah Dobson back in the lineup on Thursday after missing 11 games with a lower-body injury and Ryan Pulock and Scott Mayfield also recently returning from injuries.
Recent acquisitions Tony DeAngelo, signed as a free agent after a stint playing in Russia, Scott Perunovich, acquired from the Blues for a conditional fifth-round pick, and Adam Boqvist, claimed off waivers from the Panthers, could potentially be flipped.
Versatile third-line center Jean-Gabriel Pageau has one more season remaining on a six-year, $36 million deal that currently includes a modified no-trade clause.
Palmieri, 34, of Smithtown, also spent five-plus seasons with the Devils before joining the Islanders in 2021 and is completing a four-year, $20 million deal that now includes a modified no-trade clause.
“It’s something that you can spend time worrying about it but, in all reality, it is what it is,” Palmieri told Newsday. “We don’t make those decisions.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to play at home here for 10 years. It’s been awesome to be around my family. For me, it’s about seizing whatever opportunity is in front of me. At this point of my career, it’s about being in the best spot for me and continuing my career."
Notes & quotes: Dobson said he had plenty of support from teammates during the longest injury absence of his career. “This year we’ve had a lot of guys who have experienced missing time,” Dobson said. “We all talk amongst ourselves to help each other out. The main thing [coming back] is just keeping it simple, really getting a feel for the game…” Barzal (lower body) was moved to long-term injured reserve to create salary-cap space for Dobson . . . Mayfield remained a healthy scratch for the second straight game. Perunovich came out of the lineup for Dobson . . . Hudson Fasching returned after missing 17 games with an upper-body injury. His last game was a 5-4 overtime win in Boston on Jan. 5. Fasching took Pierre Engvall’s spot on the fourth line . . . The Bruins placed former Islanders first-rounder Oliver Wahlstrom on waivers.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
