Moving down the list of Los Angeles Kings prospects who need a strong 2024-25 season, today we’re looking at Andre Lee.
Early in the off-season, there was chatter about Lee being a threat to make the NHL roster, I was never bought in on that and Rob Blake’s moves seem to suggest Lee isn’t an NHL roster option this season.
This isn’t a bad thing though and certainly doesn’t mean Lee is done as a prospect. He does, however, need to have a strong season for the Ontario Reign if he wants to be a serious threat for the NHL in the 2025-26 season.
Lee started last season injured and came back to have a solid 2023-24 campaign. He finished with eight goals and 13 points in 36 games and an impressive four goals in eight playoff games.
Lee’s NHL hopes are in a bottom-six spot, so he doesn’t need elite production, but it does need to improve.
He’s a big body who creates space for his linemates and forechecks well, but isn’t physical enough to make that his sole contribution at the NHL level. There needs to be secondary offense to complement that size.
If he can prove to be a good top six producer in the AHL next season, his NHL future looks a lot more promising.
If he can’t and is below 0.5 points per game again, there will be serious questions marks.
Again, he isn’t expected to be a star producer, but you need some offense if you’re going to make it in the NHL.
Unless Lee is going to try and become a Matt Rempe type enforcer, which is very unlikely, he’ll need to show more with the puck this season.
His a big body and a late draft pick, so a longer development path is expected of him, but he’s 24 and needs to show significant progress.
Not making the NHL this season is fine, but if we get to this time next season and Lee is a 25 year old with zero NHL experience who isn’t a threat to make the roster, his NHL future comes into serious doubt.
It isn’t now or never for Lee, but he’s close to that point.
