Anders Lee signs with Utah Mammoth, Islanders make four signings on first day of NHL free agency
Islanders left wing Anders Lee skates against the Carolina Hurricanes at UBS Arena on April 14. Credit: Brad Penner
The Islanders are no longer Anders Lee’s team.
The former captain agreed to a three-year deal worth $16.2 million with the Utah Mammoth on Wednesday afternoon, about six hours after the free agent market opened at noon.
Meanwhile, the Islanders signed forwards Matias Maccelli and Mitchell Chaffee, goalie Vitek Vanecek and defenseman Matt Kessel on Wednesday.
Lee, who turns 36 on Friday and had worn the “C” since 2018 after making his debut for the Islanders in 2013, was coming off a seven-year, $49 million deal. He informed the Islanders on Tuesday he would test the market.
While Lee spoke of his desire to remain with the Islanders, there was a gulf between how many years he wanted on his new deal and what general manager Mathieu Darche was willing to offer.
Instead, Maccelli, 25, agreed to a reported one-year, $2.25 million deal after notching 14 goals and 25 assists in 71 games for the Maple Leafs. Toronto did not tender him a qualifying offer as a restricted free agent, making Maccelli an unrestricted free agent. He spent one season with the Maple Leafs after the Arizona Coyotes drafted him fourth overall in 2019. He followed that franchise to Utah in 2024-25.
Vanecek, 30, agreed to a one-year, $1 million deal after going 5-13-3 with a 2.93 goals-against average and an .883 save percentage for Utah. He has also played for the Capitals, Devils, Sharks and Panthers, winning a cup with Florida in 2025.
Vanecek is insurance for the Islanders in case Semyon Varlamov is not able to back up Ilya Sorokin. Varlamov, 38, has not played in the NHL since Nov. 29, 2024 and underwent two partial knee replacements – one on each knee – though he returned to play two AHL games late last season.
Darche said the hope is for Varlamov to be able to play 25-30 NHL games this season. If so, Vanecek will play for the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Hamilton, Ontario.
Kessel, 26, a 6-3, 212-pound righthander, agreed to a reported one-year, $850,000 deal after compiling two goals and one assist in 29 games for the Blues. He had split the previous three seasons between the Blues and their AHL affiliate in Springfield. Significantly, Kessel was offered a one-way deal, meaning he’s paid the same in the NHL or the AHL.
Chaffee, 28, a 6-1, 197-pound right wing, also signed a one-year, one-way, $850,000 contract after splitting last season between the Lightning and their AHL affiliate in Syracuse. He had one assist in 11 NHL games and, overall, has 16 goals and 10 assists in 109 matches, including a two-game stint with the Wild.
But Lee was one of the top players available in a thin free agent market.
The power forward from Edina, Minnesota notched 19 goals and 23 assists in 82 games last season. It marked the third time in four seasons he dressed for every match and, in 2023-24, he played in 81 games.
He finishes his Islanders’ tenure with 308 goals and 241 assists in 923 games. He is fourth on the team’s all-time list in goals, fifth in games played and 10th with 549 points. He had a career-high 40 goals and 62 points in 2017-18.
The Islanders now have $3.4 million available under the $104 million salary cap ceiling.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
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