Islanders’ Anders Lee stands up for GM, declines charity donation

The New York Islanders are in danger of missing the postseason for the second straight season despite having one of the NHL’s most potent offenses.

Star center John Tavares becomes an unrestricted free agent July 1 and has yet to sign a long-term contract with the team.

And it’s all too much for some Islanders fans.

The Barclays Center crowd chanted “Snow must go” in reference to longtime general manager Garth Snow during Tuesday’s home loss to Columbus.

And one frustrated group started a GoFundMe campaign last week to pay for a billboard in Brooklyn calling for Snow’s ouster.

The organizers of the “Snow Must Go” billboard campaign reached the goal of $5,450 in less than an hour and announced the extra money would be donated to the charity of Islanders winger Anders Lee.

But Lee declined the donation and posted a statement on his verified Twitter account that he “(does) not feel right accepting money from a movement that I do not agree with.”

“(Snow) had the faith to draft me in 2009, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without his support, so I do not feel right accepting the donation,” Lee wrote in part. “I appreciate the gesture from our fans and their efforts to support the Kancer Jam Foundation, but ask that they use this money to support another fund that can benefit from this donation.”

The billboard organizers announced on the GoFundMe page the donations would instead go to the American Cancer Society.

“We recently received word via Twitter that Anders Lee will be declining any donation toward his Kancer Jam. While we are disappointed, we respect his decision, and love Anders as a New York Islander.”

The Islanders (29-25-6, 64 points) have won two straight to jump into the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference entering Saturday’s games.

Trotz joins elite club

Washington’s Barry Trotz became the fifth coach in NHL history to reach 1,500 games Saturday when the Capitals played at Chicago.

Trotz, who coached Nashville for 15 seasons, joins Scotty Bowman (2,141 games), Al Arbour (1,607), Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville (1,597) and Dallas Stars coach Ken Hitchcock (1,511).

“It starts to be surreal a little bit because you don’t feel like you’ve been around that long, but you have, and it goes fast,” he told NHL.com. “If I can get to 1,500 games, I would say you had a little bit of success in this league no matter what.”

Trotz is 746-560-134 with 60 ties over 19 seasons. He is in the final season of his contract with the Capitals.

Deadline news

It’s been relatively quiet with the trade deadline looming Feb. 26, aside from Ottawa shipping defenseman Dion Phaneuf to Los Angeles for two players.

The Senators and St. Louis are engaged in talks for Ottawa right wing Mike Hoffman or center Derick Brassard, according to a report from the Blues’ beat writer for NHL.com.

Among the other names reportedly available on the nonrental market (players with term left on their contract): Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh, Montreal left wing Max Pacioretty and Carolina defenseman Justin Faulk.

Teams looking at rental players with expiring contracts continue to focus on Buffalo wing Evander Kane, Detroit defenseman Mike Green, and Rangers wings Rick Nash and Michael Grabner.

Solving realignment

Seattle’s ownership group filed its formal application for an NHL expansion team last week. If approved, the new team almost assuredly would be added to the Pacific Division and force the league to realign the Western Conference.

One man’s solution: Move Edmonton and Calgary to the Central Division, put Colorado in the Pacific and let the Avalanche battle the Golden Knights for the title of “team of the Rockies.”

Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.