Josh Anderson of the Columbus Blue Jackets is the latest name we’ve heard linked with the Boston Bruins. Would he be a smart right wing option?
According to Boston Hockey Now, the Boston Bruins along with the Montreal Canadiens and countless other teams have had a look at the big-bodied Josh Anderson, who is on a $1.8 million contract expiring at the end of this season.
This is a trade deal that would definitely come with an element of risk attached to it, given that Josh Anderson has only played in 26 games this season. He suffered a shoulder injury back in December with his recovery timeline predicted at 4-6 weeks.
As of now, he hasn’t yet made his return for the Blue Jackets, so safe to say, making a move on him leaves the Boston Bruins open to acquiring a player that may or may not be able to bring the needed intensity in the post-season.
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On the positive side though, an injury surely allows the Boston Bruins a chance to acquire Josh Anderson cheaper than they might usually be able to.
The Blue Jackets, after hedging their bets and going all-in last summer, will most likely be seeking a draft pick in the range of a second or third rounder or at least a strong prospect. For the Boston Bruins, that might mean a Zach Senyshyn (even though I think he shouldn’t be trade bait) or a Jeremy Lauzon or Jakub Zboril on defense.
It’s a steep price to some extent but is one that I think you’re willing to pick up if you look at Josh Anderson’s statistics in previous seasons. This year he may only be on 4 points, but last year he was a 47-point guy and is only 25 years old, so it’s not as if the age curve is catching up on him.
In fact, given his low cost at just $1.8 million this season and knowing that he hits free agency, he could well be the perfect solution to the Boston Bruins’ right-wing woes because such poor performance in his contract year surely makes him ripe for a bargain contract in the summer.
Even more appealing is the fact that last season, Josh Anderson was top twenty in the league for laying hits, showing that along with being able to maintain point production (last year, at least), he also has a style that lends to play-off and more importantly traditional Boston Bruins hockey.
Interestingly, the player sitting in eighteenth spot for dishing hits last year was Noel Acciari. It’s an element we’ve missed this season since he headed to the Florida Panthers. Josh Anderson just offers the advantage of having top-six pedigree as opposed to be fourth-line material.
All in all, if Don Sweeney can get the Blue Jackets to bite on a deal; it’d be an incredibly smart move for the Boston Bruins. Josh Anderson is young enough to bounce-back from his low point total this season and cheap enough to potentially help long-term on the right side.
Only question is; will the Blue Jackets move him on? Or will they take the same chances they did last year and risk losing him for free?