Anders Lee has admitted that leaving the New York Islanders after 13 seasons was “very difficult”, even as the Utah Mammoth forward begins to settle into a new chapter both on and off the ice. The 36-year-old signed a three-year, $16.2 million contract on July 1, and the biggest adjustment has not just been hockey-related — it has been the family move to Utah.
Lee spoke to NHL.com at the NHL offices on Monday and made clear that the emotional side of the switch was just as significant as the contract itself. After eight seasons as Islanders captain and a career that stretched back to the 2009 NHL Draft, this was the kind of change that required more than simply learning a new system.
Lee: “Very difficult” to say goodbye
Lee did not hide the challenge of moving on from the only NHL home he had known for 13 seasons.
“You’re saying goodbye to the group that you did it with, and that was very difficult,” he said. “Very difficult.”
That is the reality for long-tenured players when a deal finally ends and both sides move in different directions. Lee’s contract with the New York Islanders expired after last season, and the two sides could not reach an agreement on a new deal, leaving him to start over in Utah.
There is also the human side of the move. Lee and Grace are settling in with three children — Ruby, 6, Josephine, 4 and Augie, 2 — and the school adjustment has been part of the early challenge. For a veteran who has played 923 games, scored 308 goals and collected 549 points, this was still a fresh test.
Family comes first in the Utah Mammoth transition
Lee said the priority from the start was making sure the children were comfortable in their new surroundings.
“Getting the kids settled was priority No. 1,” he said.
That approach has helped turn a difficult transition into something more manageable. Lee added: “I talked to everybody” during the process, and said: “It’s been so nice, honestly.”
The support has not only come from family, but from others making the same kind of relocation. Vincent Trocheck was traded to Utah on July 1, and he too is dealing with a major move. Trocheck, who was welcomed back by the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, described the experience by saying: “It’s been a treat, honestly,” which underlines how shared those early challenges can be.
For Utah, that matters. A new roster is one thing, but a new city for players and families can shape how quickly everyone settles in. The Mammoth have added experience and leadership, but they have also asked new arrivals to adapt fast.
Anders Lee Signs 3-Year, $16.2 Million Deal With Utah Mammoth remains the key transaction, but the bigger story now is how he fits into the club’s day-to-day life. Utah have already shown they can draw attention in the early going, and the focus now is on whether Lee can bring the same reliability that defined his years with the Islanders.
There is no doubt that a move after 13 seasons is a major emotional shift. But Lee sounds settled enough to know that the hardest part may already be behind him, even if the family adjustment is still in motion. For the Utah Mammoth, that is encouraging. A veteran captain arriving with perspective, honesty and a clear sense of responsibility is exactly the kind of start any new club would want.
