With the trade deadline fast approaching, it's certain that rumors and speculation will become increasingly numerous. The latest concerning the Canadiens does not involve Jake Allen or Tanner Pearson, but rather Josh Anderson.
Indeed, according to what David Pagnotta reports, number 17 would, surprisingly, be on the list of some teams.
In his discussion with Mitch Gallo and Sean Campbell on TSN Radio, Pagnotta stated that the market for Anderson hasn't really changed since last year. However, there are teams discussing him internally, thinking that a change of scenery would benefit the CH forward. The insider does not think, however, that a team will give significant return to acquire Anderson.
The salary of $5.5M annually for another three seasons after this one is quite problematic. If Kent Hughes absolutely wants to trade number 17, he will have to accept taking a bad contract in return. The advantage here is that the CH could receive a contract that ends earlier than Anderson's.
Pagnotta does not see a trade happening at this point. To get there, it would take a lot of creativity and finding an agreement that benefits both parties. So, don't expect Anderson to leave the CH by March 8...
In 54 games this season, Anderson has accumulated 7 goals and 9 assists for a total of 16 points. Continuing at this pace, he could accumulate around 24 points over an 82-game season. For comparison, he had accumulated 32 points in 69 games, during the last campaign.
