On paper, there’s an awful lot to like about Blue Jackets winger Josh Anderson — especially through the lens of a Bruins fan yearning from some snarl up front.
The 25-year-old winger has proven to be effective at lighting the lamp over his previous three full seasons in the NHL — averaging 21 goals per campaign since 2016. But regularly finding the back of the net is far from Anderson’s only calling card when it comes to assessing the 6-foot-3, 220-pound forward's game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8Bq_A1dEi8
Yes, Anderson has wheels beyond what most skaters his size possess, but that doesn’t mean he’s doing his best impression of LaFleur out there on the open sheet of ice.
No, Anderson, like most power forwards, is still spending plenty of his shifts leaving welts against the opposition. Last season, over a full 82-game slate, Anderson dished out 214 hits, good for 19th overall in the NHL. (Chris Wagner ranked 11th with 247 hits).
Add in 11 fighting majors up in the NHL ranks, and Anderson checks off just about every box out there when it comes to finding a prototypical power forward that can excel in today’s faster brand of pro hockey.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=_G05dwMB9oY&feature=emb_logo
So, if Anderson fits the same profile as someone like Tom Wilson — a key cog in the Capitals' postseason success over the last few seasons — why then is the Blue Jackets forward on the trading block this winter?
TSN insider Bob McKenzie wasn’t exactly dropping a bombshell during his segment on NBCSN Wednesday when he stated that the Bruins — well aware of their Cup-contending window — will be “very active” ahead of the trade deadline on Feb. 24.
Among the listed targets for Don Sweeney and Co.? McKenzie listed the usual suspects in Chris Kreider and Tyler Toffoli, but also noted that Anderson has been linked to the B’s in their search for a reliable right winger.
As we noted above — on paper, this would seem to be a perfect fit between player and team.
In Anderson, the Bruins would be able to slot in a regular winger into that vacant top-six spot next to Jake DeBrusk and David Krejci — giving Boston’s 2C a power forward that can come in handy down low when it comes to retrieving pucks and generating quality looks from Grade-A ice.
Where have we seen that work before?
So what’s the drawback here? Well, Anderson may not exactly cost as much as a player like Kreider, but that’s because the Blue Jackets forward’s value isn’t exactly booming these days.
Just a year removed from scoring 27 goals for a Columbus team that pushed Boston to six games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Anderson has been mired in what many would call a lost season so far in 2019-20.
The numbers are far from inspiring — 26 games played, one goal and just three assists. To make matters worse, Anderson has yet to appear in a game since Dec. 14 due to a shoulder injury. At the time, his recovery timeline was set for 4-6 weeks, but it’s clearly taken a bit longer for him to get the green light to return to game action.
So, if one was to swing a trade for Anderson at the deadline, what player are you going to get? The physical force that helped pummel the Lightning in the first round of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs, or the banged-up winger that has only lit the lamp once so far this year?
As far as offensive production goes, one has to think that Anderson is in line for a surge in scoring once he's cleared to return to the lineup. Yes, he has one goal all year, but he’s also shooting just 1.6% this season — waaaaaay below his career average of 10.5%.
As such, one should expect him to revert back to the mean at some point, given that his “expected” goals this season (which factor in shot location & quality) is actually tabbed at 6.6.
In other words, based on the shots that Anderson has been generating when in the lineup, he should have about six goals in his 26 games this season — not the lone tally.
The Bruins are no stranger to poor puck luck, given that Charlie McAvoy finally got off the schneid on Wednesday with his first goal of the season despite generating an expected goals rate of 3.9.
So, if Anderson’s less than gaudy stats might scare you away, there’s reason for optimism that the winger should see his scoring totals jump up if slotted back into a top-six role.
Of course, there are other hurdles in a potential trade for Anderson. Boston would have to hand the forward a nice raise in the offseason, given that he’s set to become a restricted free agent after counting just $1.85 million against Columbus’ cap in 2019-20.
And if Anderson is going to provide that potent mix of speed and skill that Cup contenders crave during the postseason, Boston or any other interested suitor will likely want to make sure that shoulder can hold up over a grueling playoff stretch.
Yes, he may not be as much of a sure bet as someone like Kreider, but if Anderson's ready to roll, few trade targets can offer the package that Anderson brings every time he hops over the boards.
OTHER NOTES
Chara remains mum on his future:
He may not be the same force that put himself in the conversation for the Norris Trophy year after year, but Zdeno Chara is still a pretty damn good defenseman at 42 years old. Chara, who will turn 43 on March 18, continues to serve as the anchor of a Bruins' PK that ranks fourth in the league with an 84.0% success rate, and is still a force when tasked with negating scoring chances around Grade-A areas of the ice.
Given both his conditioning and overall play, one has to think that Chara could play for a couple more seasons before finally deciding to hang up his skates. But, as has been the case for most of this season, the Bruins captain didn't want to expand too much on his future in Boston when asked following the B's 4-2 victory over Arizona on Saturday.
Chara, who signed a one-year contract extension with Boston back in March 2019, could very well go year to year with Boston as he assesses how much he has left in the tank. But for now, Chara is staying focused on the 2019-20 campaign, even downplaying the extensive resume he's built for himself during his 14 seasons in Boston.
"There are some incredible players that play for this team and this organization," Chara said. "They've done such an amazing job and I'm just a small piece of the puzzle and I'm obviously trying to do my share of the work and kind of leave a footprint in this organization. I'm just a regular guy, to be honest with you. I'm just trying to do my job and do it well and as best as I can. I love the game. I've said it many times, I have such a passion for it and I'll do anything for this team."
"It's something that I haven't thought about, being honest with you," Chara added when asked about his future. "I'm keeping an open mind and I said it many times, there are guys who are obviously a priority for this team, so they have to be signed probably before me and we'll see where we're at. Obviously we have our last stretch of the season and then playoffs, so we'll see."
TD Garden replacing balcony seats
Folks, we have more updates regarding SeatGate at TD Garden. While the new seats installed at the venue have drawn some flak since the start of the 2019-20 season, get ready for more refurbishments in 2020 and beyond — as TD Garden announced on Friday that all balcony seats will be replaced this offseason.
TD Garden President Amy Lattimore noted in a release:
"One component of this transformation was the replacement of the 24-year-old seats in the arena. Through guest feedback, we recognized that there were some areas of concern regarding the new seats, specifically legroom and comfort. We were able to make immediate modifications to address some concerns, such as adjusting all loge seat back angles to improve legroom.
In the balcony, we found that the new plush cushioning, armrest design and overall ergonomics were contributing to discomfort.
Based on that, and the recommendations provided by seating consultants, we will be replacing balcony seats and armrests. The new seats, similar in size, will have a custom, narrower armrest and a non-padded seat base and seat back to improve legroom and comfort.
The work will take place this off season. We regret any inconvenience this may have caused you this season. We have appreciated your feedback and look forward to continuing to provide fans the best experience possible."
_______________________
Stats and graphs via Natural Stat Trick, Sean Tierney and HockeyViz.
