ON THE HORIZON – Anders Lee, F, Notre Dame
By Alan Avital
After amassing over 3,000 yards through the air and on the ground and totaling 37 touchdowns his senior year at Edina (MN) High School, Anders Lee briefly flirted with playing football on the collegiate level. Yet, despite receiving scholarship offers from North Dakota State, Harvard and the University of Minnesota, Lee was able to yield to temptation and secure an offer that he could not turn down – a hockey scholarship from the University of Notre Dame.
“I had always played football in the fall, but I couldn’t see myself giving up on hockey,” said the 6-foot-3, 227-pound Lee, who followed a stellar high school hockey career at St. Thomas Academy and Edina where he accumulated 238 points (106 goals and 132 assists) – second all-time for a Metro player in Minnesota history – by winning a United States Hockey League championship in Green Bay for the Gamblers in 2009-10, scoring a league-high 35 goals. “Hockey was always a year-round sport for me.”
That scoring dexterity made former Islanders assistant general manager and scouting director Ryan Jankowski take notice, as he took a sixth round flyer (152nd overall) on the power winger in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.
Jankowski’s hunch was certainly verified to be a shrewd one last fall in South Bend, as the freshman Lee led the upstart Fighting Irish with 24 goals, including an overtime-winner against Merrimack in the opening round of the 2011 NCAA championship tournament. Notre Dame would upset New Hampshire in the following round, before bowing out to Minnesota-Duluth in the Frozen Four.
“Ryan did a great job scouting Anders,” said Notre Dame head coach Jeff Jackson. “The reason why he fell into the sixth round was because of his skating. But he definitely saw the potential.”
Coincidentally, Jackson served as Steve Stirling’s assistant coach on Long Island for three seasons (2003-2005), before leading the program at Notre Dame. He continues to keep a keen eye on what’s going on in Uniondale.
“Both (general manager) Garth Snow and (scout) Eric Cairns played for me when I was on Long Island,” said Jackson. “I still root for them (the Islanders). It also isn’t a coincidence that the relationship is very strong between Anders and the Islander organization.”
Lee, who patterns his game after six-foot-four San Jose Shark Joe Thornton, gave Islander fans a glimpse of his future potential this past July by netting two goals in the team’s Blue-White Scrimmage at Nassau Coliseum.
“I really enjoyed playing in front of the Islander fans,” said Lee. “They have given me great support, and I wanted to show them how I am not afraid to go into the corners to get the puck.”
But while Lee’s eventual goal is to play a top-six wing for the Islanders in the next couple of years, he still has unfinished business at Notre Dame.
“I am very happy to be here at Notre Dame,” said the 21-year-old Lee, who has begun his sophomore season by scoring five goals in the team’s first four games. “I know that the next step is to play in the NHL, but this is a special place to be at right now. I am getting a great education and we want to win a National Championship.”
Lee was designated as one of the team’s alternate captains prior to the season by Jackson, an honor that the sixth-year head coach believes is well deserved.
“Anders is one outstanding young man,” said Jackson. “He has a tremendous work ethic. He approaches practice with full intensity, and he is well liked by all of his teammates. He is simply a leader.”
Alan will be contributing weekly.
36 Responses to ON THE HORIZON – Anders Lee, F, Notre Dame
-
Phil from Switzerland says:
Great read! Pointblank is alive and running!!
-
The New Isles GM says:
Nice article Alan. Finally, some prospect watch. Very important in Islanders Country. We’ve invested so much emotion in the drafts the past few years, it’s nice to keep an eye on the kids that have a bright future in Long Island. This kid is a gem. He will be our Ryan Callahan. You’ll see….
-
gary91922 says:
The kid is could possibly be a real talent. I have seen him skate… P.U.!!!
But, Tavares was not a good skater two years ago and llok at the improvement he made. All Andres needs to do is work and stay focused.
-
BanGarth says:
Thanks Jankowski , your fired because you gave your own opinion from time to time and didn t say what Garth scripted.
-
Word says:
From day 1, this kid seems to be the real deal.
He’s the size that this lineup so desperately needs.
Signing him to a contract is going to be an issue because he is going to want rd. 1 or 2 money.
-
Joe in Massapequa says:
Very good read AA. The pipeline seems very strong and being that we picked Lee where we did we certainly got a steal. It’s a shame that Jankowski moved on but he potentially has set us up for the next several years.
-
Irish Isle says:
Great article. Cant wait to see Lee on the Coliseum ice full time.
Also based on what Lee and Jackson have said, I doubt that we have to worry about Lee pulling a Wheeler.
-
goislesgo105 says:
With Nino, Strome, the Kirils, Anders Lee, Brock Nelson, Casey Cizakas, Johan Sundstrom, Corey Trevino, Justin DiBo,etc… should be interesting to see who makes the Isles and who doesn’t. Doesn’t seem like there are enough spots on the roster for all of them. Future watch should be fun! GO ISLES!!
-
GoIslesGO105 @ 9
DiBo, Trivino, Sundstrom are destined to be journeyman in the minors. They aren’t showing the kind of improvement you want to see that warrents top 9 NHL forwards. To me, Nelson could be trade bait. Packaging him and a 1st rounder could be our deadline day move to grab a significant, NHL ready player now. Wouldn’t be surprised if he is moved. De Haan however, isn’t going anywhere. He will develop into the type of player we saw in him on draft day.
-
vukota says:
Beast Mode!!!!
-
Kevin says:
Ahhhh i have such fears that we are going to sorely miss Jankowski and his later round steals.
-
bossy man says:
i saw lee play with nelson in the blue and white scrimage.By far he was the strongest player on the ice. he muscled others off the puck. lee and nelson made a nice pair.he is one to watch, he will dominate college this year.
-
Battfist says:
Im excited for this young man’s hockey career on the Island!
Im with Chris-Please dnt pull a Gregiore!
-
The New Isles GM#10
Hope you are right about DeHaan. I’m starting to get a bad feeling about him though. If he were going to be a great player it seems to me that there would be alot more buzz about him. Alot of buzz about Lee, Nelson and Ness’ skating but not much about deHaan. He’s not rated in the top 50 prospects of Hockey Futures either. Hope I’m wrong. We’ll see! -
mark p says:
It’s about time Lee got a full write up here after MVP of USHL playoffs and great NCAA Rookie Season.
This is his year 3 after the draft…..So Snow really needs to sign him this summer to protect Isles rights: will this strain the relationship with ND and Coach Jackson?…..
The only thing missing from the post was perhaps we could have got a little update on ND’s Robbie Russo? -
Strummer's Army says:
GREAT post Alan, thanks!
Lee is a guy who is very exciting in potential and promise. He has the size, grit, work ethic that Isles lack. Guys like Lee, Martin, Kabanov, Petrov, Sundtrom, Nelson, Ullstrom, and Czikas are grit and all but Czikas has really good size and skill, not a knock on Casey just he’s a little smaller.
I would trade guys like Rhak and Dibo if need be to gain assets that are more fitting because while I luv how much other teams hate Dibo, other prospects offer more then Rhak and Dibo and Rhett can’t seem to stay healthy at NHL level.
GO ISLES!
-
Enzo says:
21 yr old Sophomore?
-
Al L says:
New Isles GM #10,what is your substance behind concluding Justin DeBenedetto,and the kid Sundstrom are going to be nothing more than minor league journeymen? They haven’t shown improvement? The former has scored five goals in four games for the Bridge and didn’t look out of place during preseason. A potent offensive player his final year in Juniors,he has begun to feel his oats at the pro level.
Sundstrom? We just drafted the kid. Hold your horses! I give you Trivino,but even he has begun to show promise in NCAA play.
I think you are getting waaaay ahead of yourself projecting Brock Nelson and Anders Lee as trading chips. Considering their size and skill,these two kids could give us what we are currently missing down the line. Who’s to say they wouldn’t replace Bailey,Comeau and maybe even a 29 or 30 year old Frans Neilson. Do we really know who Nino Neiderrietter is yet?
I also fear a Lee and or Nelson could follow suit and take the free agent route. Snow had better embrace the improvement in potential sleepers such as Lee and value him for what he is in the here and now,not where he was drafted! If he becomes ‘first rate’,offer him accordingly! -
Pete says:
thought it was CB for a minute. Great piece. Cant wait to see him on second line with a strome and a veteran okposo while we go all-euro for the best thrid line in the league (grabs, nielsen,nino). Im starting to be a believer in tavares and his two overachieving wingers
-
Hishutzi Skorz says:
For those like NewIslesGM who are already writing off prospects, I have two words..
Moulson and Parenteau! -
Rooostur says:
Anders Lee in my opinion stood out the most in the blue and white scrimmage…he looked like a man amongst boys out there, BEAST
-
Mike says:
Wow well that was a snooze fest That’s the best story out there today I guess. We need cb back sorry.
-
Chris TMC says:
Great article!
-
Hishutzi, what about Grabs? He was a cast away prospect too! Last year nobody in the NHL was in the Al Montoya business either!
-
reaper81 says:
2013-2014 season got a feeling hill be an Islander…ND teams got good shot at winning national title next cpl years, my gut feeling is hill bolt after his junior year and into line-up…seen him play, kids a bull think David Backes type…and if they got him up here etc, they gotta play him
-
Trevor Hollinger says:
Ummm, Janks was the scout, it is Snow who makes the picks…the scouts at the very bottom send the messages up…by the time Janks saw Lee play, you can take it to the bank several teams lower scouts saw him first. Janks gave his reviews, as do other scouts like Cairns, and the GM, which is Snow, makes the call based on info and opinions from all, not just Janks…just saying, don’t over credit one scout at the expense of everyone else, and remeber, just as the GM takes the heat for mistakes, it is the GM who makes the last calls, so the GM is also responsible for final decision to draft Lee. That said, Lee, like Gregiore, went to highschool first, so this 6th round gamble pick by SNOW could yet be a wash if Lee decides to make himself a UFA
-
Fee-Show says:
Game Misconduct…Hishutzi is my alter-ego. The point I was making with these two is that they were in their mid 20′s and considered lifetime AHLers. Montoya would fit the point to a lesser degree, whereas Grabs was still a kid and a failed “sneak him thru waivers job’ by Tallon.
-
what a steal so late in the draft. its great to have janks as director of scouting who picks late round jems. since the isles will always have the lowest payroll in hockey, its important to have a great scouting director which is crucial when you have a cheap, aragant desfunctional owner. woops, i forgot. since wang is a cheap, aragant and disfunctional owner, he fired janks and replaced him with himself.
-
IslesFan says:
#23 PLEASE stop with the crying we want CB back. Not every word he said was golden. Enough already! He’s gone, get over it. This the site now, if you don’t like it, then leave.
And the by the way, I thought it was a great article.
-
Numbers65 in Ohio says:
Excellent article!!!! Can’t wait to see our prospects mature!
-
jeff w says:
great article, thanks for including other sources to keep us updated on a wide variety of things happening in islanders nation
-
Bob E. says:
Excellent article. You guys are showing up Botta pretty early on. Keep it up. im sure he proud.
Great story on Anders. Kid is just incredible athlete.
-
Doc says:
@ Robert #29…. you really don’t have any idea what you’re talking about do you? Just keep repeating the same rhetoric of others without knowing the facts. Wang is cheap blah blah blah… Yeah, the guy spends millions every season on a team that loses money, spends tens of millions on putting a real estate deal together that he was told would be green lighted and then got squashed by a low level small town politician that no one had ever heard of prior to the lighthouse project and you haven’t heard him one time ever complain about it publicly and yet he keeps pouring his own money to keep the islanders at and above payroll minimums. Not bad for an “aragant” (arrogant) and “desfunctional” (dysfunctional) owner.
-
loooooove what i hear about this kid and he looked promising at the scrimmage!
hope there’s an update on brock coming up!
-
Irish11 says:
Anders has been fun to watch in South Bend, can’t wait to see him on Hempstead Tpk
He better not pull a Jason Gregoire and file for free agency.