Lee Back To Notre Dame

Photo Taken From: LINK

Anders Lee Returning To Notre Dame For His Junior Year

The New York Islanders drafted Anders Lee in the sixth-round (152nd overall) of the 2009 NHL draft. At the time many people believed that Lee was going to turn away from hockey and try for a career in the NFL as he was also a star football player. Soon after the draft, Lee decided to go the hockey route and play for the Green Bay Gamblers in the USHL. After a stellar year, he went on to the University of Notre Dame where he has dominated for the past two seasons. He has developed into one of the Islanders top prospects. 

Of coarse things can't be that simple for the Islanders. After last season's mess with two highly regarded prospects — Blake Kessel and Jason Gregoire — leaving the Islanders organization through utilizing the "Blake Wheeler loophole", concern began to raise about Anders Lee possibly doing the same thing. Because Lee played one year of junior hockey (USHL) before going to college, if he decides to turn pro after his junior year he could become an unrestricted free agent. With that in mind, Islanders management tried desperately to get Lee signed now so that he would be unable to take advantage of the loophole. Despite the attempts, Anders Lee announced today that he will be returning to Notre Dame for his junior year. After the season, he will have three options; the first would be that he foregoes his senior year and signs with the Islanders, the second would also be that he foregoes his senior year, but instead waits until July 1st and becomes an unrestricted free agent, and the third and final option would be that he returns for his senior year at Notre Dame. 

This is not good news for the Islanders as it means that he could very well end up leaving the organization. If the Isles lose Lee it will be a huge hit to their prospect pool, and to their future.