NHL free agency: 5 teams that should sign Anders Lee

New York Islanders captain Anders Lee will be one of the most sought-after free agents on July 1st. Here are the five best landing spots for the veteran standout.

The New York Islanders were one of the most pleasant surprises of the 2018-19 season, finishing second in the Metropolitan Division with 103 points. They went on to sweep the powerhouse Pittsburgh Penguins in the opening round of the playoffs, but their magical season came to an end with a surprise sweep at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes in round two.

Now, the goal is for the Islanders to try and build on top of a highly successful season by keeping most of the core intact. They re-signed two key UFAs in Jordan Eberle and Brock Nelson, but now the Isles have to focus on retaining captain Anders Lee.

Lee, who turns 29 soon, is coming off another excellent season in which he scored 28 goals and 51 points. It was a bit of a drop from the career-high 40 goals and 62 points he tallied last season, but Lee still finished fourth in team scoring this year.

Keeping Lee has to be a priority for the Islanders, but if the two sides can’t reach a deal, you know that there will be a handful of teams lining up for his services in free agency. Most of the top contenders won’t be able to afford Lee as they deal with salary cap issues.

However, there are a handful of up-and-coming teams that have the cap space and the incentives to go after Lee. Here are the five best bits for the New York captain.

5. Columbus Blue Jackets

The Columbus Blue Jackets stand to lose four premium free agents this offseason, and three of them are All-Stars: Sergei Bobrovsky, Matt Duchene, and Artemi Panarin, plus 20-goal man Ryan Dzingel.

This isn’t exactly ideal for a team that won its first playoff series in franchise history, before falling just two games shy of the Eastern Conference Final. But Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekäläinen has no choice but to prepare for the departures of four key players.

The only way he can make up for it? By signing one or two impact veteran forwards in free agency. Maybe he can convince Lee to take his talents over to Ohio, where the Islander captain might be able to see first line minutes.

Lee could be the new No. 1 left wing and play alongside veteran sniper Cam Atkinson and rising star, Pierre-Luc Dubois. You can make a case that these would be better linemates than anything Lee has had on Long Island.

The Blue Jackets shouldn’t be afraid to overpay for Lee here, because they desperately need a top line left wing. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Kekäläinen offer Lee a seven-year contract worth $60-plus million a season. He has to be aggressive while the Blue Jackets’ window is open. Goal scorers of Lee’s caliber don’t hit the market too often, after all.

4. Nashville Predators

The aforementioned Duchene has been linked to the Nashville Predators for quite some time now, and they should be considered the favorites to land the 28-year-old. But what happens if things go off the rails and Duchene doesn’t wind up in the Music City? General manager David Poile better have a backup plan.

Nashville desperately needs a reliable goal scorer to lead the second line behind Ryan Johansen, and Kyle Turris hasn’t been able to fill that role. But if they whiff on landing Duchene, the Preds can shift their focus over to Lee, who would be a cheaper add to a cap-strapped Nashville team.

The Predators are loaded with quality wingers, so Lee wouldn’t be lacking in play-makers on his line. They just need somebody who can post the 20-something goals and 50-60 points, because the Johansen line cannot do it all.

Lee has scored at least 28 goals and over 50 points in each of the last three seasons. Imagine what he could do on a Nashville team that’s loaded with talented goal-scorers and world-class puck-moving defensemen. Plus, you know, the Predators would be able to offer Lee the chance to compete for Stanley Cups in what’s shaping up to be a pretty weak Western Conference.

The Predators might not be able to offer Lee the most money, given their cap situation. But Tennessee is a low tax state, so the Predators can use that as a selling point in trying to recruit Lee.

But again, Nashville would only have to go after Lee if they miss out on Duchene. And right now, there’s good reason to believe the Preds will come away with the latter.

3. Dallas Stars

The Dallas Stars fell just one game shy of reaching the Western Conference Final, but they lost a double-overtime heartbreaker in Game 7 to the St. Louis Blues. There was still a lot to love about the Stars this season, and now general manager Jim Nill just has to find the final pieces of the championship puzzle.

Dallas is set in goal with Ben Bishop, who posted perhaps the finest season of his career. The blue line is absolutely stacked with the likes of John Klingberg and Miro Heiskanen. Keep in mind that Dallas also allowed the second-fewest goals this season (202), so Nill doesn’t have to worry about addressing the defense at all.

However, the Stars are in need of some secondary scoring, because they relied too much on Tyler Seguin, Alexander Radulov, and Jamie Benn to carry the offense. After those three, the Stars’ next top three scorers were defencemen. Radek Faksa ranked fourth among Dallas forwards with a mere 15 goals and 30 points.

Adding Lee would take care of Dallas’ need for a second-line goal scorer. They have just under $11 million in cap space to work with, per CapFriendly. That number jumps up to approximately $29.151 million for the 2020 offseason, however, so the Stars can easily afford to sign Lee to a lucrative contract.

In signing Lee, the Stars would address their secondary scoring and have a goal scorer that can complement Seguin. Lee should be atop Nill’s list once free agency opens.

1. New York Islanders

At the end of the day, there is no place like home, and it probably makes the most sense for Lee to stay where he is and try to help the Islanders retain their status as an up-and-coming Stanley Cup contender.

With John Tavares gone, Lee took over as the leader of a New York team that defied all odds and expectations in 2018-19. He was a perfect fit for the system implemented by head coach Barry Trotz, and the Islanders are keen on adding more pieces to surround Lee and the other standout players in New York.

The Islanders are the only team that can offer Lee the maximum eight-year team, which also means they’d likely offer him the most cash. There might not be a better fit for Lee than the Islanders, who are in a position to contend for many years to come, especially with the windows of Metropolitan rivals (namely the Washington Capitals and Penguins), closing quickly.

Throughout his career as an executive, general manager Lou Lamoriello has never been afraid to let some of his top stars go if their asking price is too high. But why would he want to let go of the team captain, in his prime, just as the Islanders are growing into a prime Stanley Cup contender?

There simply isn’t a better fit for Lee than the Islanders. It makes the most sense for him to stay with the only NHL team he’s ever known. If the Isles and Lee agree to part ways, there’s a high chance both parties wind up regretting it. Better to play it safe and continue this working relationship over the long run.