Former New York Islanders captain Anders Lee is back in town as his Utah Mammoth take on the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden tonight.
Lee signed a three-year deal worth $5.4 million annually with the Mammoth this summer after he and the Islanders couldn't reach an agreement on an extension.
Through two games played with his new team, Lee has one goal skating alongside Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther.
This morning, Lee spoke at his team’s hotel about his former team, Bo Horvat being named captain, Matthew Schaefer receiving an “A,” and the role former Rangers forward Vincent Trocheck has played in helping Lee and his family settle into their new surroundings, with Trocheck going through the same transition after being dealt to Utah this summer.
The Islanders won’t face Lee until Dec. 15 in Utah. He returns to Long Island on Feb. 15.
Audio of Lee’s media scrum was provided by Cole Bagley of KSL Sports.
On Bo Horvat Getting The “C” & Matthew Schaefer Getting An “A”: “Oh, I wasn’t surprised. Yeah, no, I’m so excited for them. The second Bo came into our room, it was evident how good of a person he was and how good of a leader he was in the hockey sense, and no surprise at all. I’m very happy for him and extremely deserving on his part.
“And same with Schaef. I mean, we all know he’s kind of come into the room and kind of lit some great fire into the organization and onto the team. So I’m happy for those guys. It was a good score for them last night too.”
On Being Back In New York: “No, I mean, Trocheck and I on the bus last night were like, ‘Can’t believe we’re back in the city already.’ He’s checking it off pretty quick, and I’m excited for him tonight. But yeah, we’re right back here, and yeah, it’s definitely a little weird to be back in the city this quick. But at the same time, it’s awesome. It’s good to be here. Gonna have some friends at the game and all that stuff. I always love playing at MSG. So we get to do that again quick.”
On Settling Into His New Team & New City: “Yeah, thank you for asking. Yeah, no, the family’s doing really well. The transition, it’s been a lot for sure. It’s a big move and a lot of change for not only me, but my kids and my wife. And, coming into Salt Lake and being introduced to the organization…we’ve been very welcomed into town, and the kids have settled in well at school and all that stuff. And once that side gets settled, things are really good.
“The hockey stuff is going to be pretty seamless for me, and it has been. The group’s been great, and just top to bottom from organization and management to the guys in the room, it’s been as seamless as possible.”
On Getting To Know Vincent Trocheck: “Oh, it’s been great. To be honest, my family and I were so fortunate that the Trochecks have been going through this too. We spent a lot of time together in the last month and a half with our families and getting the kids together and hanging out because they’re going through something similar, moving across the country and settling into a new place with kids and getting into schools and stuff like that.
“So Vince and Hillary have been awesome for my wife and I and for the kids, just to spend time with one another and hang out. But yeah, it’s been great just to be on the same side.”
