Player Discussion Josh Anderson - The Rene Bourque Edition

[HuGort]

He would also have a $11M+ cap hit vs $5.5M

Anderson is presently on 25G pace

No he wouldn't. Anderson locked up

 

[rik schau]

Much better and rounded player since he stopped mailing it in.

 

[Galchenyuk15]

Warning : No one is forced to read this, it's pretty long ang boring, enough to be in 2 parts, but I need a lot of words when I try to explain something. Don't try to shoot me after that if you read this, you know what is coming but you still can shoot me from the hockey point all you want if you read that! My opinion is not better than anyone!

Part 1 : My Analyze

I really don't like Josh Anderson as a hockey player and I can't really understand what you find to put him as an untouchable or close to be one and how you can still saw him has a Top 6 in the next few years. He has played a lot better recently but I still saw him as the same player he was before. I will be pretty hard on him but I have nothing against him personnally and I understand how he got a pretty rare kind of package. I don't try to make him look bad than he was but I call an apple an apple! Maybe some saw the same things as me and maybe someone can convince me I'm totally wrong! I don't try to sell you this guy can't play in the NHL but simply not in the spot we use him and I want to win more than anything else.

Offensive side : A big guy who can skate like the wind with a pretty good wrist shot, who can score some goals, with a tunnel vision, very limited hockey sense with a "unicorn" package. In my opinion, he doesn't produce enough, way too limited from the hockey point and he doesn't use his teammates well enough, if this guy play on your offensive line you can be sure you will score less goals than the year before, to justify too play him in a offensive role, Top 6. How many goals did we loose, because he can't really play with his linemates, to make this guy came close to 25 goals? Very average with the puck, try to avoid him before getting close to 30 feet of the opponent goal if you want to have the chance to make a play in the offensive zone and he can't cycle the puck at all; the only play he saw is skating behind the net and give the puck at the d-man, 90% of the time... In the dead puck Era you can justify to use this guy like we do but now everyone try to plays with the puck and it's not the strongest side of the game of Anderson and he it will only become worst because the average QI of the NHL will increase over the time! He never got use for his offense in his juniors years but magically in the NHL he can? The Hunter Family with the London Knights got a pretty good eyes for the talent, rarely misuses someone, and they never threat Anderson like something special; they use him because of the dimension he can bring physically not too play with the puck at first! The winger born to play with Caufield and Suzuki on the paper but on the ice it's another story ...

Defensive side : He is not a liability at all but not a shutdown guy too. Not a player who would have the mission to kill the last seconds of the game when you lead if I have the choice but who can still play in this moment without hurting everyone. Nothing bad and he is really good to put some pressure on the forecheck and keep the opponent on their feet because of his speed combine with his size! Nobody like to play him and it's worst when you need to go on the boards with him close!

Powerplay : He can't do the job Suzuki, Caufield or Matheson are doing. The only part where he can play it's in front of the net a la Perry or the bumper a la Point. He can't really play the Perry spot because he doesn't think fast enough, he doesn't have the hands quick enough to be effective in restrain area to pick his moment to push toward the goal or looking for a side option and he doesn't have the hand eyes coordination to be able too deflect the puck often enough! For the bumper, it's worst then the first one because you got use to be a pivot in some way and the last player you want to be a pivot and who need to think with the puck is Anderson. Everyone around the league use a player much smarter at that spot who not saw the net as the only option! He can play in the second unit of the PP like everyone but to be effective it's another thing!
PS : Brayden Point - The way he manage the puck, create and use the space on the ice is phenomenal; a gift of god and a real pleasure to saw him play each time!

Penalty Killing : At the time with Columbus, he has doing some great things on that part of the game and become a threat in some way but we don't see that anymore and without being bad at all, he is not doing something special to justify his use on that area more than another player. You can replace him easily and we didn't pay that price to have a Penalty Killer like others can be!

OT and Shootout : He can play in OT because of the space on the ice and the way he can skate but the most important thing at 3vs3 it'ss how you manage the puck, something he his not really good at all, and in short term, we would have plenty of better option than him; it's only a question of time before he don't play at all in a full 5 minutes of OT!! He is not good or better than anyone in shootout without being bad he will never got use as one of the Top 3 shooters and he would only have the chance to go in shootout if the first 5-6 guys can't make a winner!

Physical : The department he need to give a lot more than that to justify his salary and where he can be something special. Strong as a bull but he doesn't use that at his advantage enough because of how he saw the game. With the strentgh he has, I found him pretty weak with some technical issues on that part of the game. If you compare him how he play on the board with a guy like Eller or Perry these guys doesn't look too play the same sport in the way they use their bodies and how much effective they we're on the board. He has difficulty to buy time with the puck on the boards and rarely wins is battle with the full control of the puck something not normal for someone with his tools. He is not able to create some "good" space for his linemates, he can open the ice but he doesn't really know what he is doing and don't use that space he create very well; not like you want in an offensive line at least and why I can't see him in a Top 6 at any moment! Even when he was hitting he had some issues with the timing of his hits and he exposed himself more than the player he hit only with the way he make the contact; sometimes it's more dangerous for him than the opponent. We paid this guy to be a Tom Wilson 2.0 and play each night like the Game 1 vs Toronto in your last playoff run but he tries to play hockey instead of that a la Moen at the end; he has lost his DNA and he became way too soft way too soon. The opponent still respects us because he is in the lineup, nobody fears him anymore but nobody like to get hit by him and be on the ice when he is there but you just need to look at the dimension Xhekaj brings versus him and you will understand the big step between the 2 ... He is not a big hitter, can you remember the last big hit he has made in a regular season game because I can't, and he rarely fights anymore and he is injury proned when he try to play too much with his body and it's maybe the reason he doesn't play the physical part like before! Lucky like we are since a couple of decade the only thing he has understand is that and we pay that kind of money because of that dimension ... Where is the last time Anderson change the momentum of a game with his physical presence? You will need to have a good memory ...

PS : Don't take the way Muzzin has played him in the last playoffs for granted. Muzzin had some health issues at the time and he has played with pain until the end trying to avoid getting hit the most he can. Sometimes letting the opponent take the puck first in slowing down the pace of his skating to not be the guy on the board with his back exposed to reduce the pain and everyone know how Anderson can hit really hard; something every human would do with some health issue! We saw the same thing with Brisebois a decade ago! At some point, you play like you can with the injury you have!

 

[An0n]

Warning : No one is forced to read this, it's pretty long ang boring, enough to be in 2 parts, but I need a lot of words when I try to explain something. Don't try to shoot me after that if you read this, you know what is coming but you still can shoot me from the hockey point all you want if you read that! My opinion is not better than anyone!

Part 1 : My Analyze

I really don't like Josh Anderson as a hockey player and I can't really understand what you find to put him as an untouchable or close to be one and how you can still saw him has a Top 6 in the next few years. He has played a lot better recently but I still saw him as the same player he was before. I will be pretty hard on him but I have nothing against him personnally and I understand how he got a pretty rare kind of package. I don't try to make him look bad than he was but I call an apple an apple! Maybe some saw the same things as me and maybe someone can convince me I'm totally wrong! I don't try to sell you this guy can't play in the NHL but simply not in the spot we use him and I want to win more than anything else.

Offensive side : A big guy who can skate like the wind with a pretty good wrist shot, who can score some goals, with a tunnel vision, very limited hockey sense with a "unicorn" package. In my opinion, he doesn't produce enough, way too limited from the hockey point and he doesn't use his teammates well enough, if this guy play on your offensive line you can be sure you will score less goals than the year before, to justify too play him in a offensive role, Top 6. How many goals did we loose, because he can't really play with his linemates, to make this guy came close to 25 goals? Very average with the puck, try to avoid him before getting close to 30 feet of the opponent goal if you want to have the chance to make a play in the offensive zone and he can't cycle the puck at all; the only play he saw is skating behind the net and give the puck at the d-man, 90% of the time... In the dead puck Era you can justify to use this guy like we do but now everyone try to plays with the puck and it's not the strongest side of the game of Anderson and he it will only become worst because the average QI of the NHL will increase over the time! He never got use for his offense in his juniors years but magically in the NHL he can? The Hunter Family with the London Knights got a pretty good eyes for the talent, rarely misuses someone, and they never threat Anderson like something special; they use him because of the dimension he can bring physically not too play with the puck at first! The winger born to play with Caufield and Suzuki on the paper but on the ice it's another story ...

Defensive side : He is not a liability at all but not a shutdown guy too. Not a player who would have the mission to kill the last seconds of the game when you lead if I have the choice but who can still play in this moment without hurting everyone. Nothing bad and he is really good to put some pressure on the forecheck and keep the opponent on their feet because of his speed combine with his size! Nobody like to play him and it's worst when you need to go on the boards with him close!

Powerplay : He can't do the job Suzuki, Caufield or Matheson are doing. The only part where he can play it's in front of the net a la Perry or the bumper a la Point. He can't really play the Perry spot because he doesn't think fast enough, he doesn't have the hands quick enough to be effective in restrain area to pick his moment to push toward the goal or looking for a side option and he doesn't have the hand eyes coordination to be able too deflect the puck often enough! For the bumper, it's worst then the first one because you got use to be a pivot in some way and the last player you want to be a pivot and who need to think with the puck is Anderson. Everyone around the league use a player much smarter at that spot who not saw the net as the only option! He can play in the second unit of the PP like everyone but to be effective it's another thing!
PS : Brayden Point - The way he manage the puck, create and use the space on the ice is phenomenal; a gift of god and a real pleasure to saw him play each time!

Penalty Killing : At the time with Columbus, he has doing some great things on that part of the game and become a threat in some way but we don't see that anymore and without being bad at all, he is not doing something special to justify his use on that area more than another player. You can replace him easily and we didn't pay that price to have a Penalty Killer like others can be!

OT and Shootout : He can play in OT because of the space on the ice and the way he can skate but the most important thing at 3vs3 it'ss how you manage the puck, something he his not really good at all, and in short term, we would have plenty of better option than him; it's only a question of time before he don't play at all in a full 5 minutes of OT!! He is not good or better than anyone in shootout without being bad he will never got use as one of the Top 3 shooters and he would only have the chance to go in shootout if the first 5-6 guys can't make a winner!

Physical : The department he need to give a lot more than that to justify his salary and where he can be something special. Strong as a bull but he doesn't use that at his advantage enough because of how he saw the game. With the strentgh he has, I found him pretty weak with some technical issues on that part of the game. If you compare him how he play on the board with a guy like Eller or Perry these guys doesn't look too play the same sport in the way they use their bodies and how much effective they we're on the board. He has difficulty to buy time with the puck on the boards and rarely wins is battle with the full control of the puck something not normal for someone with his tools. He is not able to create some "good" space for his linemates, he can open the ice but he doesn't really know what he is doing and don't use that space he create very well; not like you want in an offensive line at least and why I can't see him in a Top 6 at any moment! Even when he was hitting he had some issues with the timing of his hits and he exposed himself more than the player he hit only with the way he make the contact; sometimes it's more dangerous for him than the opponent. We paid this guy to be a Tom Wilson 2.0 and play each night like the Game 1 vs Toronto in your last playoff run but he tries to play hockey instead of that a la Moen at the end; he has lost his DNA and he became way too soft way too soon. The opponent still respects us because he is in the lineup, nobody fears him anymore but nobody like to get hit by him and be on the ice when he is there but you just need to look at the dimension Xhekaj brings versus him and you will understand the big step between the 2 ... He is not a big hitter, can you remember the last big hit he has made in a regular season game because I can't, and he rarely fights anymore and he is injury proned when he try to play too much with his body and it's maybe the reason he doesn't play the physical part like before! Lucky like we are since a couple of decade the only thing he has understand is that and we pay that kind of money because of that dimension ... Where is the last time Anderson change the momentum of a game with his physical presence? You will need to have a good memory ...

PS : Don't take the way Muzzin has played him in the last playoffs for granted. Muzzin had some health issues at the time and he has played with pain until the end trying to avoid getting hit the most he can. Sometimes letting the opponent take the puck first in slowing down the pace of his skating to not be the guy on the board with his back exposed to reduce the pain and everyone know how Anderson can hit really hard; something every human would do with some health issue! We saw the same thing with Brisebois a decade ago! At some point, you play like you can with the injury you have!

You should make a TL;DR at the end.

 

[Galchenyuk15]

Warning : No one is forced to read this, it's pretty long ang boring, enough to be in 2 parts, but I need a lot of words when I try to explain something. Don't try to shoot me after that if you read this, you know what is coming but you still can shoot me from the hockey point all you want if you read that! My opinion is not better than anyone!

Part 2

Anderson can still do some heavy damage with his big frame and he is more involved in the play in the playoffs but he doesn't want to do it often enough in the regular season. We are not at the time to judge a player on what he can bring in the playoffs and he is still an average player on the offensive side of the game, regular season or playoffs and this will only become worst with time! When we're ready to compete we will have a better option than him at a much better salary and he will have began to slow down over the time. At the right time, target the player you really need like Tampa Bay has done in the past years at a heavy cost but targeting what they really want!

With the group of prospects who will join the Habs over the next few years it's a question of time before he begins to drop at high speed in the hierarchy of this team. If he keeps his place it would be for the bad reason, his contract a la Gallagher, not because he is better than the player playing behind him or he deserve it but he can bring some things the others can't but we can work on that part until that! If Dubois finishes here by some magic with PLD, Dach in Slaf in the Top 6 or at least Top 9 we don't need to keep Anderson at his salary for his big size if he don't want to use it more than he is doing now!

I think we can be a much better hockey team without him with some creativity and I would trade him the fastest I can because he still has good value and is tradeable now. It's the time to trade him because of the way he got used and how he is still able to produce; we would never be able to make this guy look better than now and before everyone realizes is real value we need to move him; he look a lot better on his profile than what he do on the ice. He got all the opportunities he could this year with all the ice time he went, something he would not have in the next few years with a deepest team and this will reflect on his offensive numbers like Gallagher before him. Don't make the same mistake we have made with Gallagher in waiting way too long knowing at first how he is limited and how his past production doesn't mean he is an offensive player at any moment but how freaking bad we are to use him in that spot at first ...

Only as an example of what we can have made in the last year, the players I pick are only to show my point!

Josh Anderson vs Picks and/or Prospects (Hoping a 1st or "A" prospect - If both Hughes deserve a statue)
Oliver Bjorkstand vs Picks (Salary dump in the summer like Pacioretty and Burns) or someone like Nieddereiter at the deadline with another year of contract
Mathieu Olivier vs Picks or Prospect B (Something we have too much)
HM : Without a trade maybe a UFA like Killorn with a short term contract!

For the same salary or close, we have a deepest team, more NHL players, a better pick and maybe a good prospect, a better hockey team on the offensive point and we are a tougher team even if Olivier doesn't play a big role in ice time he will play his part in the physical department, something Anderson doesn't really want to do anymore and it's the only part where Anderson can be something really special; At least, Olivier is still playing with the knife between the teeth and some fire!

Not a trade to build your next Stanley Cup team but still a step in the right direction in the transition before being competitive and a way to pass a contract which would be problematic in a couple of years; we simply can't really try to win something with Gallagher and Anderson with these salaries because you can't use them on the offensive side, 30-40 points players with an offensive use in the new NHL it's like AIDS and I don't know where they can be useful at mid-term to justify their salaries, and we would need to kill someone to pass the first one ...

We don't have Price anymore to do some miracle with a weak team; don't shoot yourself in the feet; the time David beat Goliath 2 times out of 3 it's a thing from the past and we need to build a GOOD TEAM to achieve something in the next couple of years because we don't have this guy anymore and using every $$$ we have in the smarter way we can. Anderson and Gallagher are really not that kind of player who give you a plus value with their contract and we need to work on that problem before achieving something because we will need that money at that time! Without Price, we will never be good enough to win something with 12 millions "burn" on 2 players like that! For close to the same price, Boston got Marchand and Hall!

I can understand to be patient with enigmatic skilled players like Vladimir Malakhov, Alexei Kovalev, Dainius Zubrus or Andrei Kostitsyn because they are gamebreakers or close to be when they put the switch at "ON" but it's become something else when it's come to the others category, The No Man's Land including Rene Bourque and Josh Anderson, HM to Joel Armia, who still has the "unicorn" package but with so many flaws and we got tired way much faster with that kind of player; I already hit the breaking point a long time ago knowing is true value with the puck on his stick ..

We have tried to hit a homerun but we have failed, don't make that become an anchor for your rebuild! It's time to move on for the best for every part involved before it's too late; now Anderson still has trade value and a lot of ice time, two things that can change quickly in short or mid term! I can leave with him on the third line with some offensive production with Roy and Beck or Farrell and Beck with the time but with his salary he would never be a good value for the way we can use him and I still think the best move it's to trade him now because how the others team still saw him and it would be smart to put the money somewhere else and taking the asset we can have for Andy! A Win-Win situation!

And don't be fool by MSL when he talk about him and being politically correct on how he try to change his game. If someone in this world know how much he is a dead horse and how he can't change nothing to that part it's MSL himself; you can't play or think for another one when he is on the ice and you are on the bench ... You are born a hockey player or not it's not something you become over the time and no one can't learn that late, something Anderson doesn't have and he would never have that whatever how much you want or how hard you try to teach him!

MSL didn't have said loud and clear that Anderson and Gallagher are bad player at all but when you try to change the way you play the game close or past your 30, you know something is wrong and if you make 1+1=2 it's because how much ineffective than they were before, burning way too often the puck for nothing when they have plenty of better options more often then they do something good with it without taking or having the time to think enough when they were on the ice! To resume, the game goes too fast for these guys, they have difficulty to see and make the right play at the right time because their brain doesn't understand the game faster enough!

Too finish, in my eyes Anderson have an identity problem. He is not a really good skill players and use to be a good power forward but know he is somewhere between the two; trying to play with his big frame without the aggresivity he had at the time and I don't think it's the best thing for him because he will always be great at only one thing and it's to be a power forward not an offensive player; he can play the game more wisely without trying to kill everyone but he need to understand where he can bring something special! His contract, his injury or the way we use him maybe make him play the game differently and softer than before but I think this will only get worst with age, more injury and he will loose what that make him special at first!

 

[Sorinth]

Part 1 : My Analyze


...

I'm not sure anyone claims he's untouchable or a lock to be in the top-6. And as much as you might think his salary would indicate that should be his role, the truth is 5m doesn't get you what it used to, plenty of 3rd liners who can can fill in occasionally in the top-6 make 5m or close to it. If he's overpaid it's by like a 1m or so.

Anderson has his strengths and weaknesses, and like most guys who are middle-6 players they rely a lot on their linemates to help them look good. For the most part we haven't been able to give him quality linemates that mesh with his style of game. I don't really disagree with much of your analysis although I would point out that in terms of being physical on the forecheck, measuring it via big hits thrown isn't a good way of doing so. The point of being physical on the forecheck is to force the defencemen to rush their play which then leads to a turnover (Either directly via a bad pass or indirectly by a pass that leads to a puck battle) and you don't need to throw big hits to do that. And I would also mention that his combination of size/speed/shot will lead to defenceman backing off more instead of pinching at the blueline, that's something that's obviously hard to measure the impact of but it's there.

At the end of the day even if not consistent he brings an element that not a lot of other players can. And in terms of team building it's better for your middle-6 players to have that unique element to their game then someone who brings what your top-6 already has but is just worse at it. For me if a team is going to pay a premium for Anderson then by all means trade him, but if the best you get is a late 1st/early 2nd round pick then there's little point in making that trade right now.

 

[ReHabs]

That was a thorough and good analysis @Galchenyuk15 — I tend to agree with most of your observations and conclusions.

I think everybody here knows about the Josh Anderson identity crisis. He gets some greasy goals and some nicer ones but he always leaves us a bit empty-handed, hoping for more.

His playmaking ability (what you refer to as IQ) is too low and there is a cost associated to giving him premium minutes or linemates.

All his strengths make an interesting package, the question is if MSL sees an improvement in Anderson’s playmaking ability. If no, then he’s not going to stay a Hab for too much longer.

In any event, soon as we have something better for the top6 he should be shifted down to a third line/PK role or sold off to the highest bidder.

 

[All Star John Scott]

Guaranteed sprain or break.

 

[Team_Spirit]

The ankle bended the wrong way looks painful;

Serge must pay

 

[Galchenyuk15]

The ankle bended the wrong way looks painful;

Serge must pay

He was in too much pain after the play because before he exit the ice, he would let have know to Sergachev his day is coming soon and like Goldberg said at the time "YOU'RE THE NEXT!!!".

Maybe we can have a good fight because Sergachev is strong as a bull too like a mini Ivan Drago and not shy to drop the gloves.

It can be something special to see Goldberg vs Drago lol

PS : The photo of the ankle is painful to watch! Ouchhhhhhhh!

 

[Koivu11]

 

[Redux91]

Man thankful it's not anything worse , I'm happy for him, shattered ankles are just devastating.. especially to athletic careers..

 

[HabbyGuy]

Glad he didn't tear or break anything. Sucks either way though.

 

[Galchenyuk15]

I'm not sure anyone claims he's untouchable or a lock to be in the top-6. And as much as you might think his salary would indicate that should be his role, the truth is 5m doesn't get you what it used to, plenty of 3rd liners who can can fill in occasionally in the top-6 make 5m or close to it. If he's overpaid it's by like a 1m or so.

Anderson has his strengths and weaknesses, and like most guys who are middle-6 players they rely a lot on their linemates to help them look good. For the most part we haven't been able to give him quality linemates that mesh with his style of game. I don't really disagree with much of your analysis although I would point out that in terms of being physical on the forecheck, measuring it via big hits thrown isn't a good way of doing so. The point of being physical on the forecheck is to force the defencemen to rush their play which then leads to a turnover (Either directly via a bad pass or indirectly by a pass that leads to a puck battle) and you don't need to throw big hits to do that. And I would also mention that his combination of size/speed/shot will lead to defenceman backing off more instead of pinching at the blueline, that's something that's obviously hard to measure the impact of but it's there.

At the end of the day even if not consistent he brings an element that not a lot of other players can. And in terms of team building it's better for your middle-6 players to have that unique element to their game then someone who brings what your top-6 already has but is just worse at it. For me if a team is going to pay a premium for Anderson then by all means trade him, but if the best you get is a late 1st/early 2nd round pick then there's little point in making that trade right now.

Some talk about him for his goal scorer capacity, I just saw that at as a bonus quite honestly because I don't judge him on the numbers of goals he scored or how he produce but how he play the game. We didn't pay him that kind of money to put the puck on the net like others sniper can around the league or like we do with Jonathan Drouin and Mike Hoffman for their offensive but for what he can bring with his unique package with the goals he can add!

For the dimension he can bring he is not overpay by much and if he have hit his full potential he would be underpaid! Individuallly, it's not really a bad contract but when you look at the big picture is where it's become something else at how he use his linemates, the ice time he need to make that kind of production, the fact he has change the way he play the game and over the time that kind of player has tendancy to slow down a lot.

On the forecheck, it's a lot better to attacking the d-man a la Lekhonen, more cerebral, than a la Anderson, more physical, but you need to have a good read of the game to do that because you need to have a good speed to attack the d-man at the right angle to cut the ice the most you can to restrain him and in the end even if you didn't touch the puck you can dictate the play on where he will go because he will only stay 1 option if you put him in the right pressure.

For Anderson, it will be harder for him if he try to play that part of the game more like Lekhonen because a lot of players are smarter than him and they will be able to beat him or avoid him the most of the time with a better understanding of the game or a faster execution. I think the best way for Anderson is to play at full speed with his big size like he do now. The key is not how many times or how hard you hit because you push you out of the play each times but to "sell" the idea you can at the d-man making him play faster to avoid to be hit forcing him to make a precipitate play who can create a turnover! To resume, the dman will never fear the read of the game of Andy but he will always be respectful and very honest toward what he can do on the physical side!

Like you said, his combination of size/speed/shot is the better tools he has from the offensive side and one thing I have forget to add in my text. This is vital for him because he create space for himself and the way he can gain speed and beat the d-man or be able to drive the net often because of that! He rarely need to play in restrain area until the offensive zone because of that!

For the trade, I understand you don't want to give him without a good return and I know Andy have a special package who has very hard to find, we wait a decade and maybe more for a guy with this kind of tools. I don't want to trade him at all cost, he doesn't hurt you now but at sometine it will if he keep playing the same way and becoming less physical. I can die with Josh Anderson the power forward on the 3 line with his salary but I don't want Josh Anderson the hockey player at any moment close to your team when we will be ready to compete!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Something I have not said but my relation with Anderson it's like Love-Hate at some point. For the first and only time of my life, the Habs have trade for the guy I have wanted in the player of Josh Anderson. I felt in love with him in his breakout season in 2018-19, he would never get the credit he deserve for that season but one of the 3 best power forward in the NHL at that time and close to be the best through January 1st until the end of that season. A tank who gain a extra gear each month becoming unstoppable in every area of the game : offensive, defensive, fight, hit, PP, PK nothing he can't do and becoming a real threat every time he step on the ice! The player who his born to play with Caufield and Suzuki at the moment!

I've never be so excited by a trade involving the Habs but 10 minutes after I begin to have some doubt because of the return and the way Anderson played one year before it's just to good to be true because Columbus would never thought one second to let him go at first, and they would give him all the money they can if they thought the 2018-19 is the real one. Today, I understand why they choose to trade him instead ...

We have trade for the guys who has played like a monster in that year but this version of him just doesn't seem to exist anymore; same case for Drouin we trade for a player we never really see in Montréal! This is probably why I'm so hard on him like that because he has fooled me at the time I saw him only a couple of games and I never think I can be that wrong!

 

[beowulf]

And another disappointing $5.5M season comes to an end. Four more to go unless he is finally moved.

 

[Redux91]

And another disappointing $5.5M season comes to an end. Four more to go unless he is finally moved.

I hope he stays allllll 4 just to upset you lol.

 

[MasterD]

Glad he didn't tear or break anything. Sucks either way though.

A sprain is a tear/stretch.

And simple fractures typically heal better than sprains because ligaments are poorly vascularized.

 

[DrBizz4r3]

High sprains are a bitch to heal. Depending of the grade of the injury, the return to sport is delayed comparing to lateral ankle sprain. In rare case, surgery is needed, but most of the times, a posterior cast is suffisant. If we see picture with an orthopedic boot, it’s good News and he will return to training this summer.

 

[Retired]

A sprain is a tear/stretch.

And simple fractures typically heal better than sprains because ligaments are poorly vascularized.

He’s always struggled with a high center of gravity too my opinion, I’m hoping he keeps a deep stride.

 

[HuGort]

High sprains are a bitch to heal. Depending of the grade of the injury, the return to sport is delayed comparing to lateral ankle sprain. In rare case, surgery is needed, but most of the times, a posterior cast is suffisant. If we see picture with an orthopedic boot, it’s good News and he will return to training this summer.

I had one, years ago. I was a long while getting back normal

 

[Walrus26]

With genuine respect to @Galchenyuk15 for his detailed observations and views, I only have a couple of paragraphs to write on this topic. (Detailed posts like his deserve praise for their depth and honesty and not regarded as TL DR, for my money.)

Big Josh has evolved in front of our eyes in 2023. Less full-steam charging down the wing with tunnel vision and more play as a linemate; making a contibution on the PK that only he (or perhaps Dach) could do with his speed and reach to help us lessen the bleeding of PP goals; still contributing a lot of goals relative to our overall performance and the scoring of other players.

Unless there's a drastic overpay on offer, he's a keeper for me for the rest of his term or at least 'til he's a last-year trade deadline rental out. "Unicorn" is a hockey cliché for good reason and I'd much rather have this one suit up for us than be, say, on a divisional rival and I'm not stressed about a possible $500k or so AAV overpay on his deal for his "package".

I'm fully cognisant that everyone's mileage may vary on this topic. (And I'm sure cognisant was cogniscant once upon a time?)

 

[Galchenyuk15]

Answer for Walrus26!

He got the "unicorn" package but I don't find him effective at all. You have the example of RHP right in front of your eyes, on how a limited player with good fundamentals can be effective. RHP didn't skate like Josh, he is not big like Josh, he doesn't posseses the tools Josh has but he do every details on the ice and looking good in all the role or the line he play. RHP open way more space for his linemates than Josh with his big frame because the first one know what he is doing; he understand the game and it's so simple when it's play the right way... Put a hockey player with another hockey player and you have a instant chemistry or close!

Ask to Suzuki if he want to play with Josh or RHP ... the answer is easy!

We still can find a use for him but I hope he will play with a lot more of aggresivity because at first if I want to target a big guy who can score I will no target a guy with 25 goals and 35 points with some hockey sense issue for his salary! I understand how special he can be but Tampa, Boston, Colorado and the Rangers didn't have a player like that in their team; for me in the new NHL it's like shooting yourself in the feet because he don't play the game like other one!

I can understand at the time how a big physical presence can change everything but the game has change and I think it's became the opposite; now the big player who are not there for the good reason will do more bad thing than good thing. It's still the same rough game in the playoffs but in regular season it's become a skating in circle show more than ever and you need to be effective with the puck like never before.

He change his game in the last year and maybe we will see a more "finish product" in the next years and he will find a way to became something else and be effective in his role! I hope so but I would do everything I could to retrieve the Josh Anderson version of 2018-19 before working on the Josh Anderson 2022-23 one; the first one is special, the second is a overpaid player like another one.

Because we start your rebuild, I think it's the time for the Habs to ask this question : If you could build your team from zero, do you still see Josh Anderson in your team with the idea to win the Stanley Cup? The old version of Josh would play on my team, the new version not! To resume, with a "blank sheet", I would put my money otherwise but I can understand to give him time because of how special he can be!

For my part, I don't see him as a "hockey player", I will never saw him like that and I will put my money and my energy somewhere else! Like I have said before, I have absolutely nothing against Josh Anderson, the human, but we play hockey here and I want to win more than anything else and I don't think we can't achieve that with him! Common Josh, show me I'm wrong and make me become a fan of you again like before! At the time, I use to watch Columbus to saw this guy played and now I have difficulty to watch him on my team ...

 

[Sorinth]

Because we start your rebuild, I think it's the time for the Habs to ask this question : If you could build your team from zero, do you still see Josh Anderson in your team with the idea to win the Stanley Cup? The old version of Josh would play on my team, the new version not! To resume, with a "blank sheet", I would put my money otherwise but I can understand to give him time because of how special he can be!

Depends whether you think his recent play is actually the new version of him or not. Before his injury he had 18 points in 27 games. If that was the new Anderson then he can absolutetly be part of contender. But we obviously don't know if that recent play was just a normal hot streak or whether his work with MSL and Nicholas has started to pay off. It's worth mentioning that that production was a much more even distribution of goals and assists then his normal ratio which isn't how is hot streaks normally go.

One other thing in favour of keeping him around is that you don't want to develop guys like Slafkovsky as the lone big guy surrounded by small players. Having big guys like Anderson, Dach, and potentially PLD that can all skate is a good environment for developing Slafkovsky.

 

[Adam Michaels]

 

[Retired]

Good lower flexibility there. Good sign.