Colorado Avalanche: Anders Lee Could Add Stability
The Colorado Avalanche have some holes to fill, potentially in free agency. It’s possible they might be looking for the stability a player like Anders Lee adds.
The Colorado Avalanche are looking to make some additions in free agency this year. GM Joe Sakic stated in his post-season presser that the team have “targeted players in mind.”
Could Anders Lee be one of the players Colorado has in mind? He might be.
If you ask many Avs fans what the team needs, the first thing they’ll probably say is a second-line center. However, the team also needs some secondary scoring.
Maybe they need some stability, too. I know I think they need a little size up front since they’ve gotten smaller at the back end. Stability, a little secondary scoring, and some significant size are what Anders Lee might bring to the table.
Anders Lee
Position: Left wing
Age: 28
Size: 6-foot-3, 231 pounds
Previous Contract: 4-year standard, $3.75 million AAV
2018-19 Statistics: 51 points (28 goals, 23 assists) in 82 games
Anders Lee has spent his entire six-year career with the New York Islanders. New York drafted him in 2009 in the sixth round.
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In that time, Lee has recorded 152 goals and 106 assists for 258 points in 425 NHL games. This last season he had 51 points, which was good for fourth on the Islanders. He also served as captain this year after the departure of John Tavares in free agency.
The Islanders and their current captain are reportedly in talks to get him signed before free agency day. According to Michael Anderson of Eyes on Isles, right now the sticking area is term — the Isles aren’t comfortable going higher than six years, and Lee wants seven.
Anders Lee and the Colorado Avalanche
It feels to me like Anders Lee is exactly the kind of player you agree to overpay in free agency and end up having to buy out a few years down the line. It’s understandable why Lee would want seven years — he’s already 28.
But that’s one of the things that should make Colorado leery. That and the fact he’s going to want a pay raise. That darn Jeff Skinner contract, $9 million per for eight years. Is Lee worth $9 million per for the next seven years?
I think Anders Lee could add some toughness to the Colorado Avalanche. He’s good at cycling and pretty good at puck possession. His career year was 62 points, which was also a year that saw him score 40 goals. He also has a 30+ goal year and two 20+ goal years.
To be honest, I think the Islanders and Lee are going to come to terms. However, in his presser, Sakic did allude to wanting to talk to players “if they become available.” Lee might be someone he has on that list.
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Free Agency Frenzy begins on July 1, which is when big names like Anders Lee will get snapped up, if they hit free agency. Teams can officially begin talking pending UFAs on June 23 at 12:01 pm ET, which is 10:01 pm MT.