Islanders remove top veteran from the trade block days from the deadline
Photo credit: Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images
The New York Islanders reportedly removed one of their top veteran players from the trade block only days before the NHL deadline.
After weeks of internet chatter suggesting the team should move on from captain Anders Lee, his recent heroics have silenced the critics and solidified his spot on Long Island.
The 35-year-old forward has been under fire from fans on social media, with some calling him "unplayable" or a "corpse" during a challenging stretch. But Lee responded in the loudest way possible Sunday night, burning Aaron Ekblad wide and scoring a spectacular game-winner with just 32 seconds left to beat the Florida Panthers 5-4.
Anders Lee may have played himself off the trade block
After the game, Lee opened up on his goal:
"I finally got a puck I liked. It was one of those nights we just had to stick with it."
Head coach Patrick Roy was quick to praise his captain's resilience and leadership. For a team fighting for their playoff lives, Lee has been a machine lately, scoring in three consecutive games against Montreal, Columbus, and Florida.
"It's nice to see someone be rewarded with the way he's playing and how hard he's playing every day. He's been a great mentor."
The win keeps the Islanders tied with the Penguins at 75 points in a heated Metropolitan Division race.
While Lee is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, his value goes beyond his 14 goals. Teammate Bo Horvat pointed out that Lee's ability to create havoc in front of the net and do the "little things" makes him irreplaceable.
Even rookie standout Matthew Schaefer, who notched his 19th and 20th goals of the year in the victory, credited the veteran for saving the team from a stressful overtime.
With the deadline on Friday, the message from the locker room is clear: you don't trade a leader like Anders Lee when you're making a serious push for the playoffs.
Also read on Blade of steel :
First big trade of the deadline frenzy is completed and Elliotte Friedman spills the details
First big trade of the deadline frenzy is completed and Elliotte Friedman spills the details
| POLL | ||
MARS 3|147 ANSWERS Islanders remove top veteran from the trade block days from the deadline Should the Islanders sign Anders Lee to a contract extension before July 1st? | ||
| Yes | 101 | 68.7 % |
| No | 46 | 31.3 % |
| List of polls | ||