The assumption was that Islanders team president Lou Lamoriello would not have approved naming Anders Lee captain if there wasn’t an understanding on a new contract for the 28-year-old Minnesotan.
Well, that wasn’t the case.
The future of Lee, and therefore the whereabouts of the ‘C’ on an Islanders sweater, is arguably the biggest question going into break-up day Monday. Following the team’s commendable second-round postseason exit, ending with it getting swept by the Hurricanes after a Game 4 loss Friday night in Raleigh, Lee goes into the summer having completed his team-friendly four-year, $15 million deal, looking at unrestricted free agency if a new contract is not reached by July 1.