New York Islanders captain Anders Lee is out for the remainder of the season with a proper knee harm that requires surgical procedure.

Normal supervisor Lou Lamoriello stated Wednesday that Lee is about for surgical procedure later this week to restore a torn ACL. Lee tore the ligament when he obtained tousled with New Jersey’s Pavel Zacha final Thursday.

“You by no means exchange the participant that you just misplaced,” Lamoriello stated. “He is our captain. He is our chief on and off the ice and he is the voice of the gamers with the coaches and administration, in order that’s a bit totally different. However we’ve got super confidence within the gamers on this locker room, super confidence within the management, so they are going to definitely take up that.”

The crew put him on long-term injured reserve and now can use his $7 million in salary-cap house so as to add gamers earlier than the April 12 commerce deadline. Lee led New York with 12 targets when he was injured.

“We’re all the time looking for a scoring winger, whether or not it is due to Anders’ state of affairs or not,” Lamoriello stated. “Everyone is. That is not one thing that is simple to do. If we are able to, we’ll.”

The Islanders gained 9 in a row and picked up factors in 12 consecutive video games earlier than shedding at Washington on Tuesday night time and falling out of first place within the East Division by a tiebreaker. They’re tied with the Capitals at 42 factors and have gained two of three video games with out Lee.

There are a number of pending free agent wingers who could possibly be of curiosity to the Islanders, together with 2018 MVP Taylor Hall and former Devils teammate Kyle Palmieri. The cap staying flat at $81.5 million subsequent season limits what Lamoriello can do in buying gamers signed past this yr.

Amongst lively Islanders, Jean-Gabriel Pageau now has the crew lead in targets with 12.

Lamoriello praised younger gamers who’ve gotten extra ice time with Lee out and added: “If we are able to get ourselves higher, we’ll. We won’t do one thing only for the sake of doing it.”

Lee is predicted to be prepared for coaching camp forward of subsequent season.

“The docs are extraordinarily snug with 100% restoration due to the kind of harm that he has, however it’s an ACL and the rehab won’t be as unhealthy as a whole lot of ACL accidents are as a result of there’s nothing else broken apart from the ACL,” Lamoriello stated. “Actually realizing the character and self-discipline of Anders and the rehab that he will probably be so diligent at, he will probably be prepared.”

The Related Press contributed to this report.

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