Could the Boston Bruins trade for Josh Anderson?

The Boston Bruins need to get creative to fill the second-line right wing role. Here’s why GM Don Sweeney needs to call Columbus about Josh Anderson.

For the Boston Bruins to really make some noise this year, they need to solidify the second-line right wing spot with a trade. Tyler Toffoli’s name is out there, but he isn’t the only option. Could GM Don Sweeney think outside the box and try to pry Josh Anderson out of Columbus?

Anderson would be a perfect Bruin. He’s a solid offensive threat who can provide some offense to the right of David Krejci. Anderson scored 27 goals last season for the Blue Jackets, and he had 19 the year before. He’s a legitimate top-six wing with plenty of offensive upside.

At the same time, Anderson can impact a game physically. At 6’3″ and 222 lbs, he’s a tough matchup for any defenseman. Plus, Anderson plays an aggressive style, as he had 214 hits last year.

We’ve seen Krejci at his best in years past with bigger wings like Milan Lucic, Nathan Horton, and Jarome Iginla. Anderson is definitely in that mold.

There there’s his age. Anderson is only 25, so he’d be a piece for the present and the future. He also is someone who still has some room to grow, especially on a great team like Boston.

So, with all that said, why in the world would Columbus even consider an Anderson trade?

First, after a playoff berth last year, the Blue Jackets are in a rebuild. They don’t have a ton of pieces around which to build, so they need to get creative to find them.

Remember that Columbus went all out last season and traded first and second round picks. This means that the Jackets don’t have the quality assets to acquire young talent for the future.

Small market teams like Columbus typically aren’t free agent destinations, so the only way to bring in talent is through the draft. Anderson could be someone the Jackets use to acquire draft capital.

Then there’s his contract. Anderson is set to be a restricted free agent after this season. The Blue Jackets have his rights, but they’ll have to give him a hefty raise. Will a rebuilding team, especially one in a small market, be comfortable with an expensive, long-term extension?

Finally, we have to consider the fact the Anderson’s in the midst of a tough season. He only has one goal and one assist in 11 games this year. On top of that, Anderson’s a -7, and he has a 39.1% CF.

Here’s the deal: although there’s no sign that Anderson is even on the trade market, you have the think that Columbus will listen to any offers. As such, Sweeney should do his due diligence and at least call.

What would be a fair trade package for Anderson? He’s still a valuable player even with his tough start, so he Anderson wouldn’t come cheap. Boston would have to part with a good prospect or possible a 1st round pick. With Stanley Cup aspirations, this is a price that Bruins should pay.