Lee was a decorated three-sport star in high school in Edina, Minnesota, before settling on hockey, a path that led him to becoming a sixth-round pick (No. 152) by the Islanders in the 2009 NHL Draft.

Lee was the quarterback at Edina High School for two years, was named the 2008 Minnesota Gatorade Football Player of the Year and was a finalist for Minnesota's Mr. Football award. He also was a standout pitcher and third baseman on the baseball team. On the ice for Edina High, he was a two-time all-state selection and a finalist in 2009 for Minnesota's Mr. Hockey award, which was won by defenseman Nick Leddy, later an Islanders teammate.

He committed to Notre Dame on a hockey scholarship that was to start in the 2010-11 season, so he played for Green Bay of the United States Hockey League in 2009-10 under future Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper. Lee had team highs with 35 goals, 66 points and a plus-38 rating in 59 regular-season games, then scored 10 goals and 22 points in 12 playoff games to lead Green Bay to the Clark Cup championship. He was named playoff MVP and was the USHL Rookie of the Year.

As a freshman at Notre Dame, Lee helped the Fighting Irish reach the NCAA Frozen Four. He was named Second-Team All-America as a junior after scoring 20 goals and 38 points.

Lee turned pro following his junior season and made his NHL debut with the Islanders against the Winnipeg Jets on April 2, 2013. He scored on his first shot on goal.

Lee started the following season with Bridgeport in the American Hockey League but was called up to the Islanders after scoring 22 goals and 41 points in 54 games. On Feb. 27, 2014, his first game after being called up, Lee had his first multigoal game in the NHL, scoring twice against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He remained with the Islanders the rest of the season and had nine goals and 14 points in 22 games.

Five games into the 2014-15 season with Bridgeport, Lee was called up to New York, where he played the remainder of the season. He scored 25 goals and 41 points in 76 games and finished ninth in voting for the Calder Trophy, awarded to the top rookie in the NHL. He signed a four-year contract with the Islanders on June 30, 2015.

Lee established himself as one of the League's best power forwards in 2016-17, when he scored 34 goals in 81 games. He played all 82 games the following season and scored 40 goals for the first time in his career.

He was named the 15th captain in Islanders history on Oct. 4, 2018 and led them to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, finishing the season with 51 points (28 goals, 23 assists) in 82 games. The Islanders re-signed Lee to a seven-year contract on July 1, 2019.

Lee had 43 points (20 goals, 23 assists) in 68 games when the 2019-20 NHL season was paused March 12 due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus.

NOTES & TRANSACTIONS

• USHL All-Rookie Team (2010)
• USHL First All-Star Team (2010)
• USHL Rookie of the Year (2010)
• CCHA All-Rookie Team (2011)
• CCHA Second All-Star Team (2011)
• CCHA First All-Star Team (2013)
• NCAA West Second All-American Team (2013)