Anders Lee Bio
Anders Mark Lee, born July 3, 1990, is an American professional ice hockey player who serves as a winger and captain for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League. The Islanders selected him in the sixth round, 151st overall, at the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, and he has spent his entire NHL career with the organization. Standing 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighing roughly 230 pounds, Lee has built his reputation as a power forward who combines scoring touch with a willingness to play a physical game. He captained the Islanders beginning in 2018 and signed a long-term contract extension in 2019.
Early Life and Background
Anders Mark Lee was born on July 3, 1990, in Edina, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis, to parents Thomas (Tom) and Lisa Lee. Growing up in a sports-focused household, Lee excelled in football, ice hockey, and baseball from a young age. In 2004, he transferred to Saint Thomas Academy, a private school in Mendota Heights, where he made the varsity hockey team as an eighth-grader. He played alongside future NHL player Jordan Schroeder and helped the team win a Class A state hockey tournament championship in 2006.
In the fall of 2007, Lee transferred back to Edina High School to play alongside childhood friends and to shorten his daily commute. As a junior, he was a multi-sport standout. He won the starting quarterback role and passed for 2,049 yards and 14 touchdowns while leading the Edina Hornets to a 10–1 record. On the ice, he posted 54 points in 32 games and earned Pioneer Press All-State First Team honors. As a senior, he became a dominant football player, rushing for 1,105 yards and 32 touchdowns while adding more than 2,000 passing yards. He was named the 2008 Minnesota Gatorade Football Player of the Year and a finalist for the state’s Mr. Football award.
Lee’s senior hockey season was just as impressive. He scored 25 goals and added 59 assists in 31 games and was a finalist for the Minnesota Mr. Hockey Award. Although he drew interest from football and hockey programs at Harvard and the University of Minnesota, he chose to play college hockey at the University of Notre Dame.
Path to Hockey
After his high school career, Lee spent the 2009–10 season with the Green Bay Gamblers of the United States Hockey League, where he became the team’s leading scorer. He recorded 35 goals and 31 assists in 59 games, was selected to the USHL All-Star Game, and won Playoff MVP honors as Green Bay captured a postseason title. The Islanders had already used a sixth-round pick on him earlier that year despite concerns from rival scouts that he might choose football instead of hockey.
Lee joined the Notre Dame Fighting Irish of the Central Collegiate Hockey Conference the following season and quickly became one of the team’s most productive forwards. As a freshman, he scored 24 goals and added 20 assists, helping Notre Dame reach the Frozen Four before falling to Minnesota Duluth. In his sophomore year, he again ranked second on the team in scoring, and Notre Dame qualified for the NCAA tournament quarterfinals. After three strong college seasons, Lee signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Islanders on April 1, 2013.
Anders Lee Career
Early Career (2013–2014)
Anders Mark Lee made an immediate impact at the NHL level. He debuted on April 2, 2013, against the Winnipeg Jets and scored a first-period goal on his first career shot to help the Islanders win 5–2. He added his first NHL assist in a win over the Tampa Bay Lightning two days later. The following fall, Lee was assigned to the Islanders’ AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, and led the team in scoring with 41 points in the first half of the season. He was recalled to the NHL in February 2014, and by spring he was earning a regular look on a line with John Tavares and Kyle Okposo.
NHL Breakthrough (2014–2016)
Lee opened the 2014–15 season in the AHL but was quickly recalled to the Islanders, where he settled in on the Kid Line with Brock Nelson and Ryan Strome. He finished his rookie year with 25 goals and 41 points in 76 games, earned NHL Rookie of the Month honors for February, and helped the Islanders reach the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs. After signing a four-year extension, he was promoted to the top line with Tavares and Josh Bailey in 2015–16, scoring 15 goals and 36 points before a broken fibula ended his season in early April.
Career-Defining Seasons (2016–2018)
Healthy again in 2016–17, Lee set career highs with 34 goals and 52 points, played primarily with Tavares and Bailey, and received the Bob Nystrom Award as the Islander who best exemplified leadership, hustle, and dedication. The following season was even more productive. Lee led the Islanders with 40 goals, tied for seventh in the NHL, and added 22 assists for 62 points. He was nominated for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy for his community work and leadership.
Islanders Captain Era (2018–Present)
Following John Tavares’ departure to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Lee was named the 15th captain of the New York Islanders in October 2018. On July 1, 2019, he signed a seven-year, $49 million contract extension worth an average of $7 million per season that runs through 2025–26. In 2020–21, he missed the rest of the season after undergoing surgery for a torn ACL suffered in a collision with the New Jersey Devils’ Pavel Zacha. He returned healthy and on March 10, 2022, recorded his first NHL hat trick in a 6–0 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Driving Style and Strengths
Lee is a prototypical power winger: a left shot with size, a heavy shot from the circle, and a willingness to battle in front of the net. He drives play off the cycle and thrives in the bumper position on the power play, where his touch around the crease has produced steady goal totals. His conditioning and willingness to block shots have made him a trusted top-six forward and penalty killer, and his voice in the dressing room helped shape the Islanders’ identity during deep playoff runs.
Notable Events and Milestones
Lee scored on his first NHL shot, set a then-career-high 41 points in his rookie year, and recorded his first hat trick in March 2022. He has served as Islanders captain since 2018, and his long-term contract keeps him in the organization through the 2025–26 season.
Anders Lee Career Wins
Although career totals are limited in the source material, Anders Mark Lee’s scoring résumé is anchored by his Islanders output. Across the regular season, he has produced 40-goal campaigns and surpassed 60 points, milestones that place him among the franchise’s most productive recent wingers.
New York Islanders Highlights
Lee has been a top scorer for the Islanders since 2014–15, including 25 goals as a rookie, 34 goals and 52 points in 2016–17, and 40 goals and 62 points in 2017–18. His 2017–18 goal total tied for seventh in the NHL that year. As captain, he has led the team through multiple playoff appearances and into the latter stages of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Other Wins and Performances
Lee’s résumé also includes major junior accolades with the Green Bay Gamblers, including the USHL Rookie of the Year and Playoff MVP honors, as well as a Frozen Four appearance with Notre Dame. He was also named the 2008 Minnesota Gatorade Football Player of the Year, an unusual honor for a player who ultimately chose hockey.
Anders Lee Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Anders Mark Lee is the son of Thomas (Tom) and Lisa Lee and grew up in Edina, Minnesota, where his parents supported his busy multi-sport schedule. He is a cousin of football player Ryan Connelly, who played at Wisconsin, and his nephew Braylon Lee has played youth hockey in the Upper Midwest. Lee’s family background, along with his Edina roots, has shaped his grounded leadership style with the Islanders.
Personal Life
Off the ice, Lee has built a strong record of community work. He partnered with the Jam Kancer in the Kan foundation after learning about childhood cancer patient Fenov Pierre-Louis, has hosted several fundraising events, and has raised more than $300,000 for the cause. He also established the Fenov Pierre-Louis Memorial Scholarship after Pierre-Louis’ passing in 2018, awarding it to five high school seniors each year. Lee holds a degree in Management Consulting from the University of Notre Dame.
2025 Season Performance
Anders Mark Lee is playing out the final year of his seven-year contract with the New York Islanders, which runs through the end of the 2025–26 season. As captain, he continues to anchor a top-six forward group and play a leadership role in the dressing room. His experience in front of the net and on the power play remains central to the Islanders’ offensive identity.
The Islanders’ 2025 outlook depends heavily on Lee’s continued production and health. With the team competing for a playoff spot, his two-way play, faceoff work, and physical presence set the tone for younger linemates. Should he remain healthy, Lee is positioned to surpass additional franchise milestones in franchise goal totals.
As the 2025–26 season approaches, Lee’s long-term future beyond his current contract remains an open question. For now, his focus is on leading the Islanders into another playoff push and finishing his tenure as captain on a competitive note.