Carolina Hurricanes: Could the Hurricanes target Josh Anderson?

Could the Carolina Hurricanes seek Josh Anderson?

It’s no secret the Carolina Hurricanes need forward help, and among the circulating rumors about Josh Anderson being on the block, could he be a Cane?

Yes, Josh Anderson isn’t exactly a household name. However, the power-forward could be a very tempting trade target for so many teams. While injury issues have disrupted the career of the 26-year-old, Anderson still looks like quite the player when he’s healthy and could be a nice piece to have on a team that wants to push for Lord Stanley’s Cup.

The Ontario native, listed by Sportsnet as someone who could potentially be on the move, has multiple teams interested in him. Anderson clearly has admirers, and for the right price, I’m sure he could make a lot of teams very happy playing on. Now, he isn’t a top 6 player. He’s likely going to make his money as a 3rd line option, which does make him a non-essential piece for the Blue Jackets.

Picked 95th overall in the 4th round of the 2012 NHL entry draft, Anderson has recently established himself as a power forward. Last season, he cemented himself as a top 9 player posting 27 goals and 20 assists for 47 points in 82 games with the Columbus Blue Jackets. This year, injuries reduced him to 21 games and reduced his scoring to 1 goal and 3 assists for 4 points.

Anderson isn’t afraid to fight either when it comes to it. Many times has he taken up the challenge of standing up for his team, fighting scary dudes. Not even the grim reaper of the NHL himself, Tom Wilson, was enough to disgruntle Anderson’s ferocious attitude. Even though he did end up on his wallet, a valiant effort against one of the most physical guys in the league.

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Anderson’s scoring is incredibly desirable, and with his bonus physical play, he’s a ready-made playoff player. His injury woes are going to lower the asking price both in terms of an extension for the pending restricted free agent and in assets going back to the Columbus Blue Jackets organization. It’s a risk worth taking from an asset management view.

What would Columbus want? That is a great question. His stats suggest his value could be quite high, but I see a lot of people suggesting he’s someone they’d be content moving away for late-round picks and prospects. Something like the Erik Haula trade with Vegas. That is a gamble that I’m sure Carolina management will consider should the option arise.

I did mention that Anderson was a restricted free agent. Looking at both rumors and players that produce similar numbers to Anderson, I’d imagine his deal is somewhere in the region of 3-4 million for 2-3 years. This would partly be due to his injury issues, but mainly due to the fact he’s a power forward and they aren’t exactly renowned for their extended length careers and iron man streaks.

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At that price, for the scoring he could bring, however brief, surely it’s worth the risk. I’m not saying he’s going to put on the Canes sweater and all the offensive woes of the team are going to dissipate instantly. If that were true, no team would ever trade him. However, as a depth piece, he could fix the Canes 3rd line scoring in the long run. It won’t make or break the team, but a nice addition that could factor into a playoff series.

All in all, Anderson isn’t someone who is going to win playoff series on his own like one certain Finn against the Rangers this year. However, he is certainly someone who fills the needs and wants of almost any squad he is involved with. He’s not going to win the Rocket Richard, but he’ll add desperate depth scoring if the Canes acquired the power forward.

Question for Cardiac Cane Readers: Do you think the Canes should target Josh Anderson?

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