Player Discussion Josh Anderson - The Rene Bourque Edition

[FerrisRox]

you are happy with 19 goals from a 5.5M player?

look around the league at what other teams get for 5.5M forwards

Yes, I'm very happy with 20-goals on that tire fire of a team that he played on last year coupled with his excellent blend of size and speed.

 

[Kairi Zaide]

Why are people crapping on Anderson again? Didn't he just score 19 goals playing on the worst team in the league? Geez.

Because he sucks at everything else other than powerhorsing to the net on a rush (which is rarely the most optimal play)

 

[Ezpz]

you are happy with 19 goals from a 5.5M player?

look around the league at what other teams get for 5.5M forwards

5.5 is basically the equivalent of a 2.5 or 3 million dollar forward when the cap first was introduced. You can't really compare the 8th year of a deal signed in 2014 with the 2nd year of a 2021 deal. There's plenty of guys in the range that get under 19 goals. Even ignoring past-prime players, there's guys like W. Karlsson, Bailey, Palmieri, Coyle, Smith and others in that range that are one-way players and produce less goals than Anderson. Certainly we want more from him, but let's be honest, he's overpaid by a million for his intangibles. His production should line up better with guys making 4.5. Guys like Coleman.

If Anderson has a 50 point season he'd be perfectly in line with his salary.

Gallagher is certainly a bigger issue at 6.5. His "intangibles" are putting us shorthanded multiple times a game and annoying the refs. I am still pissed Bergy extended him for the most money on the team among forwards. Nobody ever thought Gally was our best forward. What a crime.

 

[Leon Lucius Black]

On a team paying almost $30M for Gallagher, Drouin, Dadanov, Hoffman, Armia and Byron who provide next to nothing, Anderson's contract is one of our last concerns.

He's put up a 24 goal pace in his 2 years here, while being one of our only physical players. He is inconsistent, however I would rather overpay for a player with his size/skillset than the plugs I mentioned above.

 

[26Mats]

On a team paying almost $30M for Gallagher, Drouin, Dadanov, Hoffman, Armia and Byron who provide next to nothing, Anderson's contract is one of our last concerns.

He's put up a 24 goal pace in his 2 years here, while being one of our only physical players. He is inconsistent, however I would rather overpay for a player with his size/skillset than the plugs I mentioned above.

Anderson is much better than those players. But Anderson is untradeable and those players aren't.

Nice to have Byron, Deouin, Dadonov, and Monahan come off the books after this season. So we should be fine with cap space.

Either way, it's pretty clear Hughes is actively looking to move Anderson, given how much he talks about him in the media.

 

[417]

Don't quite understand the hate this guy gets, one of my favorite players...he's not perfect but he is somewhat unique.

19 goals last year on a team where the leading goal scorer had 23, I think is solid relatively speaking.

His numbers will improve when the rest of the team does...he's never going to be the guy whose the outlier.

Also..,just don't ask him to handle the puck in tight spaces lol

 

[StCaufield]

The fact you mock Gomez and Gallagher, shows you know nothing about hockey except what you've read online. Both were astounding hockey players in their prime, which they demonstrated to different degrees as members of the Montreal Canadiens.

Gomez was a massive failure in Montreal everyone knows this. Gallagher said himself that his hands are made of steel literally and needs to adjust aka he can’t pass well. There’s no mocking its just called using your eyes. Seriously dude? You seem extremely offended. Gomez even admits that he wasn’t very good with Montreal he’s a stand up guy. Gallagher was amazing but “astounding” which could mean good or bad is an interesting dramatic word to use. Facts are facts. Gomez 78 games 47 point and 8 goals in 80 games isn’t “astounding” that’s horrifying with what he was making. He was great with the devils but I’m talking about Montreal as are you with your last sentence. Stop crying

 

[schwang26]

Because he sucks at everything else other than powerhorsing to the net on a rush (which is rarely the most optimal play)

If he doesn't score, it creates rebounds. If he sucked as much as you say, there wouldn't be a high demand for him.

 

[Kairi Zaide]

If he doesn't score, it creates rebounds. If he sucked as much as you say, there wouldn't be a high demand for him.

Except he doesn't create "valuable" rebounds, as when he's alone rushing to the net, his rebounds are more often taken back by the opponent than not.

If he created "valuable" rebounds, he would generate an excess of shots from the slot. He doesn't.

And if he was that valuable offensively, his teammates would score more and generate more often with him than without him. On average, that is not the case; his teammates actually have done the opposite of that (close to "neutral" however) over the past 2 seasons.

His opponents, however... they score SIGNIFICANTLY more whenever he's on the ice... And that's despite seing 3rd liner deployment in terms of opposition (i.e. that's not because he plays the best players on the other side).

Only reason he might have some value (and, there's still no evidence of that) is because GMs are stuck in the 90s and will only look at his skating (yes it's good) and size and assume that he's good because of that. The same reason big dmen who can skate are automatically good (especially defensively - even when there's no tangible evidence to suggest that they are).

Is his play a result of coaching ? Maybe. He played similarly in his last season with CBJ though. Before his injury, he was decent at generating offense for his linemates.

 

[26Mats]

Don't quite understand the hate this guy gets, one of my favorite players...he's not perfect but he is somewhat unique.

19 goals last year on a team where the leading goal scorer had 23, I think is solid relatively speaking.

His numbers will improve when the rest of the team does...he's never going to be the guy whose the outlier.

Also..,just don't ask him to handle the puck in tight spaces lol

I really hope he can improve the weaker aspects of his game, because man does he have his strength.

It still boggles my mind that he can't figure out how to protect the puck along the wall on a cycle. And I like that MSL is working with him on seeing the play more and his hockey sense.

 

[ReHabs]

Speed, Size, Power

The problem with Anderson (whom I like and root for) is that he's not an effectrive hockey player. He doesn't produce points. The point of the game to is to outscore your opponents and Anderson is simply not good at that. You can be the fastest, biggest, strongest player but if you cannot tilt the ice in a meaningful way you might as well be Paul Byron sized.

He's overpaid and constantly injured -- if he doesn't bring it together this season then we suffer from a diminished market for him and have to carry him. If he does bring it together this season then we will likely keep sticking with him because of the element of size that be brings. He's also signed with Hughes' former sports talent agency so there is that connection there too.

I wish some desperate team would've ponied up the price to buy him last year.

 

[417]

I really hope he can improve the weaker aspects of his game, because man does he have his strength.

It still boggles my mind that he can't figure out how to protect the puck along the wall on a cycle. And I like that MSL is working with him on seeing the play more and his hockey sense.

I just don't think that's his game...he's not a guy whose got a lot of poise with the puck or soft hands.

That's fine IMO, because the other things he's really good at...are rare to find and are typically the kind of things that help more talented players excel.

 

[26Mats]

I just don't think that's his game...he's not a guy whose got a lot of poise with the puck or soft hands.

That's fine IMO, because the other things he's really good at...are rare to find and are typically the kind of things that help more talented players excel.

Yes, this is where those in my camp/"school of thought" disagree with those who share your perspective.

All the plays he ruins for his linemates, turnovers on the cycle, and bad defensive coverage don't make up for the 20 goal, 20 assist offense and good hitting he does. Definitely not taking a spot on the top line. Maybe on a 3rd line, but even then: can he produce 20-20-40 on a 3rd line? And even still, would he be too much of a defensive liability? Is what we saw in the postseason when he played with Byron and KK on a 3rd line the best we can see from him? He had occasional offense, but nowhere near a 20-20-40 pace...

So, my hope is that he'll be able to improve on his weaknesses. IMO, it may not be too late for him to do so, even at his age. He has excellent character and work ethic. How hard is it to learn to position your body to protect the puck on the cycle?

 

[417]

Yes, this is where those in my camp/"school of thought" disagree with those who share your perspective.

That's why we here man...all good.

All the plays he ruins for his linemates, turnovers on the cycle, and bad defensive coverage don't make up for the 20 goal, 20 assist offense and good hitting he does. Definitely not taking a spot on the top line. Maybe on a 3rd line, but even then: can he produce 20-20-40 on a 3rd line? And even still, would he be too much of a defensive liability? Is what we saw in the postseason when he played with Byron and KK on a 3rd line the best we can see from him? He had occasional offense, but nowhere near a 20-20-40 pace...

I mean, in 2 seasons with the Habs...Anderson has finished 2nd and 3rd in goals. He'll never be a big points guy unless he somehow plays with a PPG center but I don't see what's wrong with that kind of production.

Again, he's never going to be the outlier where the entire team is shit and he's outscoring everyone by 30pts.

But, hopefully, as the talent around this team matures, I think his production will follow.

So, my hope is that he'll be able to improve on his weaknesses. IMO, it may not be too late for him to do so, even at his age. He has excellent character and work ethic. How hard is it to learn to position your body to protect the puck on the cycle?

Maybe...I'm just not a fan of getting players to play outside of their comfort zone, i'd rather find ways to reinforce the things he does really well and there are a lot of those things.

I'd be curious to see how he plays with Kirby Dach who like Anderson, is a "rush offense" kind of guy...stick a player with some puck poise (maybe Dadonov?) and I think it might work out.

Either way, I haven't been disappointed with the player...if not for injuries he'd be a back to back 20+ goal scorer on a team that's only had 3 20 goal scorers over those 2 years (Toffoli, Suzuki & Caufield).

 

[26Mats]

That's why we here man...all good.

I mean, in 2 seasons with the Habs...Anderson has finished 2nd and 3rd in goals. He'll never be a big points guy unless he somehow plays with a PPG center but I don't see what's wrong with that kind of production.

Again, he's never going to be the outlier where the entire team is shit and he's outscoring everyone by 30pts.

But, hopefully, as the talent around this team matures, I think his production will follow.

Maybe...I'm just not a fan of getting players to play outside of their comfort zone, i'd rather find ways to reinforce the things he does really well and there are a lot of those things.

I'd be curious to see how he plays with Kirby Dach who like Anderson, is a "rush offense" kind of guy...stick a player with some puck poise (maybe Dadonov?) and I think it might work out.

Either way, I haven't been disappointed with the player...if not for injuries he'd be a back to back 20+ goal scorer on a team that's only had 3 20 goal scorers over those 2 years (Toffoli, Suzuki & Caufield).

Yeah, I'm curious to see Dach's game and who will fit best with him. It's good that Dach has the potential to be a puck possession player and play driver. Suzuki is really our only other player like that (I don't count Drouin).

 

[Canadienna]

Thought he looked really good tonight. When he's healthy and driven he's fun to watch.

 

[Tyson]

Ok Josh Anderson is 28 y/o. Drafted in 2012.
He has size, speed, nastiness so is it possible that this is the year he finds consistency?
He can't disappear 7 out of every 10 games. He needs to become a leader.
I predict 25 goals and 47 points which I can live with.

Consistency is key.

 

[GrandBison]

Ok Josh Anderson is 28 y/o. Drafted in 2012.
He has size, speed, nastiness so is it possible that this is the year he finds consistency?
He can't disappear 7 out of every 10 games. He needs to become a leader.
I predict 25 goals and 47 points which I can live with.

Consistency is key.

If you're looking for consistency, the only stat to look this year will be the L column. Anderson is consistent in his play (same plays, same mistakes in d zone), the results are different from a game to another.

 

[HuGort]

Habs don't want to trade Anderson, way he played tonight. Big heavy guys hard to play against and he can snap in 25-30

 

[Retired]

Habs don't want to trade Anderson, way he played tonight. Big heavy guys hard to play against and he can snap in 25-30

On and off ice chemistry with Cc and Suzuki
Big and stands up for teammates
can shoot
is Really fast


If he had Suzuki’s iq he’d be a 10m$ player, I am unsure what people expect.

 

[MarioLeMoose]

The thud of the bar on that GWG was one of the most beautiful sounds I have heard in a good while.

 

[BenchBrawl]

Anderson was another great move by the Maestro. His trade value speaks for itself.

 

[River Meadow]

Because he sucks at everything else other than powerhorsing to the net on a rush (which is rarely the most optimal play)

People won't be happy until he's on another team ala Lars Eller, and then will complain because they will see what we had. Grass is not always greener on the other side..

On and off ice chemistry with Cc and Suzuki
Big and stands up for teammates
can shoot
is Really fast


If he had Suzuki’s iq he’d be a 10m$ player, I am unsure what people expect.

A lot of Habs fans want every player to be perfect.

If a player isn't perfect they see him as expendable/replaceable/garbage.

We finally have a legit Power forward.... but no... he sucks, apparently.... lololol

 

[jrom]

I find Anderson to be more effective this year, especially on the boards. Less predictable but still using his size and speed to generate things. Dach & Monahan could use him on their line.

 

[26Mats]

People won't be happy until he's on another team ala Lars Eller, and then will complain because they will see what we had. Grass is not always greener on the other side..



A lot of Habs fans want every player to be perfect.

If a player isn't perfect they see him as expendable/replaceable/garbage.

We finally have a legit Power forward.... but no... he sucks, apparently.... lololol

Well, FWIW, Hughes wants to trade him.