Player Discussion Josh Anderson - The WORKHORSE Edition

[No More Subban]

I've always loved this guy, even when he wasn't doing anything. I just think he's a bad player when the team is playing bad, but he can be a really good, useful player once the team starts winning again.

 

[TRG]

Depending on his play and who steps up later on, I wouldn't be against extending him. We'll still need good veterans. He's fast, physical, plays hard, scores once in a while, plays PK well and can beat up a MF when needed.

 

[Slafkofield]

After getting so much hate last season, I really like what I’ve seen so far from Andy, guy leads by example, finishes each check, uses the body each shift; type of player who’s made for the 2nd half of the season/playoffs. I just think he’s a bit overpaid (if his salary was 3.5-4M I don’t think anybody would complain about him).

 

[Scintillating10]

After getting so much hate last season, I really like what I’ve seen so far from Andy, guy leads by example, finishes each check, uses the body each shift; type of player who’s made for the 2nd half of the season/playoffs. I just think he’s a bit overpaid (if his salary was 3.5-4M I don’t think anybody would complain about him).

Anderson is a warrior. He was playing hurt last 2 season why he looked like dud. High ankle sprains are nasty

 

[417]

Funny how no one cares about him being “overpaid” right now, ditto for Gallagher…this is why I’ve kept repeating over the years that those kind of labels are meaningless, it’s all relative to how the team is playing.

If the team is competitive, no one will care that Josh Anderson is making 5.5M to play in the bottom 6, these things only become issues when your team stinks.

With the advent of the cap, at some point, support for players became conditional to how much value they brought relative to their contracts…I guess it’s the time we’re in, but it becomes a way better experience when you separate those two things, trust me.

 

[Hannibal]

Welcome back Andy.

 

[Natey]

I made this thread four years ago with the "Rene Bourque" moniker. I still hate the contract, but I no longer dislike the player here.

Josh Anderson has bought in and really realized what he needs to do to help this team win hockey games. He's not ever going to be an elite offensive player, like I think he thought he was. But he can most definitely be a hard working, hard nosed, hard to play against, hard working player. An absolute workhorse. And a fantastic player on this team.

So after 4-years, I've realized I can change the title of this thread. And Josh Anderson deserves praise... so welcome to the;

WORKHORSE EDITION

 

[Team_Spirit]

Kevlar socks saved him

 

[Goalfield22]

Funny how no one cares about him being “overpaid” right now, ditto for Gallagher…this is why I’ve kept repeating over the years that those kind of labels are meaningless, it’s all relative to how the team is playing.

If the team is competitive, no one will care that Josh Anderson is making 5.5M to play in the bottom 6, these things only become issues when your team stinks.

With the advent of the cap, at some point, support for players became conditional to how much value they brought relative to their contracts…I guess it’s the time we’re in, but it becomes a way better experience when you separate those two things, trust me.

Even if Andy and Gally are overpaid for what they bring on the ice, it is clear they bring a lot of value off the ice.

 

[LaP]

Funny how no one cares about him being “overpaid” right now, ditto for Gallagher…this is why I’ve kept repeating over the years that those kind of labels are meaningless, it’s all relative to how the team is playing.

If the team is competitive, no one will care that Josh Anderson is making 5.5M to play in the bottom 6, these things only become issues when your team stinks.

With the advent of the cap, at some point, support for players became conditional to how much value they brought relative to their contracts…I guess it’s the time we’re in, but it becomes a way better experience when you separate those two things, trust me.

We don't cause we have a young teams. If we would be contending with an experienced team we would still talk 100% about them being overpaid cause it would be a huge issue. Can't have depth players paid 5.5 millions and 6.5 millions when you are contending. It works cause we are rebuilding but when MB signed those contract we were not and it was stupid. Most contending teams have maybe 4 forwards paid 5.5 millions and more max.

 

[Deebs]

Welcome back Andy.

He's been good all year

 

[Deebs]

Kevlar socks saved him

I'm with Fitzgerald when he said at the GM's meetings he thinks the league should mandate cut resistant material/neck guards for all players. With the speed of the game nowadays, it just makes sense.

 

[Saundies]

He's been good all year

He has yep.

Us as a fanbase and himself have stopped putting all of our value into this point totals. Don't get me wrong, it's great he's producing a bit more now but the fact that he's focused on his role defensively (and physically) rather than the fact he's not getting points, it's helping tremendously.

 

[417]

We don't cause we have a young teams. If we would be contending with an experienced team we would still talk 100% about them being overpaid cause it would be a huge issue. Can't have depth players paid 5.5 millions and 6.5 millions when you are contending. It works cause we are rebuilding but when MB signed those contract we were not and it was stupid. Most contending teams have maybe 4 forwards paid 5.5 millions and more max.

You’re kind of proving my point.

If we had a contending team, we wouldn’t be talking about them because we’d be contending.

Every team has bad contracts, every team has great contracts, it’s not what makes team successful or not.

The Anderson/Gallagher contracts are objectively terrible and will remain so until they expire no matter what they do, but they’re more than offset by the amazing value the Habs are getting out of Suzuki and Caufield’s contracts and guys like Hutson on ELCs, etc.

As I said, it’s all relative. Last year that’s all people talked about was how much of an anchor their contracts were, this season, you hear nothing.

 

[LaP]

You’re kind of proving my point.

If we had a contending team, we wouldn’t be talking about them because we’d be contending.

Every team has bad contracts, every team has great contracts, it’s not what makes team successful or not.

The Anderson/Gallagher contracts are objectively terrible and will remain so until they expire no matter what they do, but they’re more than offset by the amazing value the Habs are getting out of Suzuki and Caufield’s contracts and guys like Hutson on ELCs, etc.

As I said, it’s all relative. Last year that’s all people talked about was how much of an anchor their contracts were, this season, you hear nothing.

You don't get my point. We would not be contending with them as there would not be enough money to pay for the top 10 players in the team. Again check the contending lineup they have max 4 forwards paid 5.5 millions and up. We can afford those contracts cause we don't have a 2nd line i.e. we are not contending. Gallagher, Dvorak and Anderson are basically our 2nd line on the payroll and we can afford that cause we don't hve a 2nd line at all. Luckily their contracts will ends before Hutson and Demidov have to get paid.

 

[Zorro]

You’re kind of proving my point.

If we had a contending team, we wouldn’t be talking about them because we’d be contending.

Every team has bad contracts, every team has great contracts, it’s not what makes team successful or not.

The Anderson/Gallagher contracts are objectively terrible and will remain so until they expire no matter what they do, but they’re more than offset by the amazing value the Habs are getting out of Suzuki and Caufield’s contracts and guys like Hutson on ELCs, etc.

As I said, it’s all relative. Last year that’s all people talked about was how much of an anchor their contracts were, this season, you hear nothing.

This is it! Crappy contract will always exist, because players will never be at their prime for the whole length of the contract. How bad and for long the contract affects the team negatively that's on the GM to do a risk-analysis on. That said, you can always minimize those bad contracts by getting value out of your other contracts.

Ultimately, IMO, if we were to re-allocate the salaries to those who "deserve" it the most, we would still come out ahead.

 

[417]

You don't get my point. We would not be contending with them as there would not be enough money to pay for the top 10 players in the team.

I think you need to revisit your original point then because here’s exactly what you wrote.

“If we would be contending with an experienced team we would still talk 100% about them being overpaid cause it would be a huge issue.”

You clearly wrote that we’d be contenders in this scenario.

Again check the contending lineup they have max 4 forwards paid 5.5 millions and up. We can afford those contracts cause we don't have a 2nd line i.e. we are not contending. Gallagher, Dvorak and Anderson are basically our 2nd line on the payroll and we can afford that cause we don't hve a 2nd line at all. Luckily their contracts will ends before Hutson and Demidov have to get paid.

They’re the 2nd line on our payroll…OK, but the payroll doesn’t decide who plays or performs.

Point is, if the Habs were desperate to get rid of their contracts because it prevented them from being better, they would.

There are far worse contracts in the NHL.

 

[Adriatic]

Depending on his play and who steps up later on, I wouldn't be against extending him. We'll still need good veterans. He's fast, physical, plays hard, scores once in a while, plays PK well and can beat up a MF when needed.

He's everything you want in a bottom 6 player.

 

[Sorinth]

You don't get my point. We would not be contending with them as there would not be enough money to pay for the top 10 players in the team. Again check the contending lineup they have max 4 forwards paid 5.5 millions and up. We can afford those contracts cause we don't have a 2nd line i.e. we are not contending. Gallagher, Dvorak and Anderson are basically our 2nd line on the payroll and we can afford that cause we don't hve a 2nd line at all. Luckily their contracts will ends before Hutson and Demidov have to get paid.

Dallas will have 5 forwards paid at 7.75 or higher starting next year, and might very well end up at 6 above 5.5 if they re-sign Benn.

At the end of the day we are probably looking at 3m+ discount on Suzuki's contract, 2m+ on Caufield's, so we are going to easily be able to break whatever contender template you think exists.

 

[LaP]

Dallas will have 5 forwards paid at 7.75 or higher starting next year, and might very well end up at 6 above 5.5 if they re-sign Benn.

At the end of the day we are probably looking at 3m+ discount on Suzuki's contract, 2m+ on Caufield's, so we are going to easily be able to break whatever contender template you think exists.

Cap will go up so for the next years so 4 will become 5 that's still less than the 6 top 6 forwards teams have in their lineup. My point still stand.

How many contending teams have more than one bottom 6 players paid 5.5+ millions? I rest my case no matter how you turn this 5.5+ millions is too much for a bottom 6 player if you are contending. It's a problem and pretending otherwise wont change that.

Luckily for us it's a problem that will resolve itself before we have to pay Hutson and Demidov and whoever become the 2nd line center and top 4 RHD.

 

[Sorinth]

Cap will go up so for the next years so 4 will become 5 that's still less than the 6 top 6 forwards teams have in their lineup. My point still stand.

How many contending teams have bottom 6 players paid 5.5+ millions? I rest my case no matter how you turn this 5.5+ millions is too much for a bottom 6 player if you are contending. It's a problem and pretending otherwise wont change that.

Luckily for us it's a problem that will resolve itself before we have to pay Hutson and Demidov and whoever become the 2nd line center and top 4 RHD.

I'm not sure the cap going up would actually increase the number of players, it's more likely that it would increase the 5,5 to something like 7m.

Also note that this year, ie before the big cap rise Tampa is at 6 forwards at 5.4m and last season had a 6.25m 3C. This year Florida is arguably using a 5m player as their 3C. Pittsburgh ran with a 4m 3C on a much smaller cap that would be equivalent to over 6m in today's cap. So yes it does happen.

Look nobody is saying Anderson/Gallagher are being paid an ideal amount, but there's a big difference between the ideal and being a problem.

 

[red devil]

Last night was the 1st time that Anderson wore cut resistant socks and if he didn't his season would be over

 

[Adam Michaels]

Last night was the 1st time that Anderson wore cut resistant socks and if he didn't his season would be over

 

[Hacketts]

Divine intervention

 

[JianYang]

Funny how no one cares about him being “overpaid” right now, ditto for Gallagher…this is why I’ve kept repeating over the years that those kind of labels are meaningless, it’s all relative to how the team is playing.

If the team is competitive, no one will care that Josh Anderson is making 5.5M to play in the bottom 6, these things only become issues when your team stinks.

With the advent of the cap, at some point, support for players became conditional to how much value they brought relative to their contracts…I guess it’s the time we’re in, but it becomes a way better experience when you separate those two things, trust me.

His evolution has been something else. I would have never guessed he would become a pk guy that embraces a bottom 6 role.