Anders Lee Will Play For Islanders In Bridgeport on Tuesday
The captain is back. Anders Lee will play in Tuesday’s preseason game in Bridgeport against the Philadelphia Flyers, marking his first game action since suffering a torn right anterior cruciate ligament last season.
The team announced the news Tuesday afternoon.
#Isles Game Day Update: Anders Lee will be in the lineup in tonight’s preseason game against the Flyers.
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) October 5, 2021
It has been 208 days since Lee has suited up for the Islanders. The 31-year-old suffered a season-ending injury on March 11 against the Devils, when he got tangled up with Devils’ forward Pavel Zacha in front of the net. A few months into his recovery, he skated with the team during the postseason, but he was not healthy enough to return.
“I think it’s good therapy for him and good motivation for him,” Islanders’ head coach Barry Trotz said ahead of Game 5 against the Lightning in June.
Anders Lee is skating with the reserves. And he is skating fast.
It looks like he didn’t miss a beat. pic.twitter.com/GlwMdzVWo2
— David Lazar (@davidlazar100) June 17, 2021
Lee will likely start the year alongside Mathew Barzal and Kyle Palmieri. The final three preseason games will give Lee an opportunity to get ready for his top-line responsibilities after missing most of the 2021 season.
“We felt pretty confident that he was going to play in some games. We just didn’t know how many and we were going to base it off of how he felt during the practices and scrimmages,” Trotz said Monday after practice. “He feels pretty good, so there’s a good chance he’s going to be in the last three, or two of the last three.”
For the Flyers, Martin Jones will start in net Tuesday night in Bridgeport. Their gameday roster is below:
Forwards (13): 19 Derick Brassard, 20 Gerry Mayhew, 21 Scott Laughton, 36 Linus Sandin, 44 Nate Thompson, 46 Cal O’Reilly, 47 Garrett Wilson, 50 German Rubtsov, 52 Tyson Foerster 59 Jackson Cates, 62 Nicolas Aube-Kubel, 76 Isaac Ratcliffe, 82 Connor Bunnaman.
Defense (7): 5 Adam Clendening, 6 Travis Sanheim, 24 Nick Seeler, 45 Cam York, 61 Justin Braun, 70 Rasmus Ristolainen, 84 Linus Högberg.
Goalies (2): 35 Martin Jones (starter), 32 Felix Sandström.
