The Utah Mammoth just pulled off another bold move. Hours after trading for Rangers center Vincent Trocheck, they landed free agent Anders Lee on a three-year, $16.2 million deal that averages $5.4 million per season.
Lee, 35, spent his entire career with the New York Islanders before hitting the open market Wednesday. The Mammoth didn’t waste any time.
“Anders Lee 3 x $5.4M AAV, Utah,” Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported.
Lee’s Legacy on Long Island
The Islanders drafted Lee in the sixth round back in 2009, and he turned into one of the best late-round finds in franchise history. He played 923 games for the club, wore the captain’s ‘C’ for eight seasons starting in 2018-19, and sits fifth in games played, fourth in goals, and 10th in points for the Islanders all-time.
He also had one of only two 40-goal seasons by an Islander in the 2000s. That’s a pretty exclusive club.
Why Utah?
The Mammoth are building something in the Mountain time zone. They’re young, they’re aggressive, and they just added a veteran presence who knows how to get to the net and finish. Lee isn’t the burner he used to be, but he’s still a 25-goal threat who brings physicality and leadership.
According to the Elmonters’ Stefen Rosner, the Islanders weren’t willing to offer Lee a two-year deal before free agency opened. He ended up getting three years of security once he hit the market. That extra year might’ve been the difference.
A New Chapter
Lee joins a forward group that suddenly has more pop than it did 24 hours ago. Trocheck gives them a 200-foot center who can score, and Lee gives them a net-front presence who can bury chances. The Mammoth haven’t made the playoffs yet in their short history, but moves like this suggest they’re not interested in waiting around.
Lee will likely slot into a top-nine role, maybe even top-six, depending on how the lines shake out. He’s not the captain anymore, but he doesn’t have to be. Utah just needs him to be what he’s always been: a reliable, hard-nosed goal scorer.
The Islanders move on without him for the first time in 15 years. The Mammoth get a proven winner for their room. We’ll see how this one ages, but on paper, Utah got a lot better on July 1.
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