Josh Anderson (Columbus Blue Jackets)
Josh Anderson rates as a bit of an enigma. If he is fit and healthy consistently, he’s actually the best possible trade deadline pick-up for the Boston Bruins.
Going in his favour is the fact that he’s just 25 years old, plays right-wing and is a paid a very salary cap-friendly rate of $1.85 million. With his struggles this season, it’s fair to think you could get Anderson to sign a contract renewal for a relatively minimal pay increase.
While he has missed a large chunk of this season due to injury and his production reflects a downturn in form, he’s only one year removed from a 27-goal, 47-point campaign.
He also has his physical game laying hits, willing to scrap and just generally playing with a bit of tenacity suited to play-off hockey, going in his favor. Not to mention he isn’t likely to cost too much in terms of assets.
Perhaps the biggest concern with adding Anderson is whether or not he’ll be recovered enough from his health woes to offer a great upside to the Boston Bruins.
Adding a player with injury struggles is always a big concern, especially given how the physicality tends to ramp up once we hit play-off hockey.
Factor in the case of his point production being dead awful in the games he has played for the Blue Jackets this season and it’s a risky play.
With great risk comes great reward though and Josh Anderson truly has that upside and may be a longer term solution on the second-line right-wing. For me, that’s why I see him as a C+ player.