Boston Bruins: Who are the alternatives if there’s no Chris Kreider trade?

Josh Anderson (Columbus Blue Jackets)

Here’s another name that just won’t go away. Given the Blue Jackets position in the standings, it’s quite possible that he’s not even available.

There is also the fact that he’s yet to play a game since getting injured back in December and at this rate could find himself shut down for the rest of the season. Even in the games he did play, he showed no signs of replicating his great totals from last year.

Adding Josh Anderson is a risky proposition, plain and simple. Nobody knows how well recovered he is or will be and his totals last year might still be a bit of a misnomer.

If, and it’s quite an if, the Blue Jackets do decide to move Anderson, you’d have to think they can’t go asking the world for him, given he’s a 4-point player that has spent half their games on injured reserve.

Hence the appeal, especially if the Boston Bruins could get the hard-hitting right winger that potted 27 goals last campaign, on the cheap. If he is able to recover from his injury and find some form, he’d be perfect for our second line, if not, he’s only paid $1.8 million so we’re not on the hook for a huge amount against the cap.

Even if the Blue Jackets still intend to compete for a play-off place, there may be a workable trade involving a bit-part player like John Moore. Seth Jones and Ryan Murray are both on their injured reserve list right now, after all.

Maybe adding him to our third-round pick this year would be enough to do it. With all of Columbus’ big moves last year, they lack picks so would gladly seek to recoup one, I’m sure.

Josh Anderson, as we wrote, is a high-risk, high-reward type trade. Either he arrives, slots in and finds form or he arrives injured and remains so and the trade proves a waste.