The Montreal Canadiens made a big splash just before the NHL Draft.
The Montreal Canadiens made a surprising trade a few hours before the NHL Draft. As most teams are gearing up to announce their picks this evening, the Habs and Columbus Blue Jackets came together on a pretty sizable deal.
The Canadiens acquired Josh Anderson from the Jackets for Max Domi and a third round pick in this week’s draft.
Domi has played the past two seasons in Montreal and was sensational in 2018-19, blowing away career highs by scoring 28 goals and 71 points. He took on a huge role as a top six centre and excelled immediately, playing a tough, gritty style that isn’t common in a 5’10” speedy and skilled forward.
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This past season was less impressive for Domi. He scored 17 goals and 44 points in 71 games, falling back from his terrific first season in Montreal. Domi found himself parked on the fourth line during the postseason, dealing with wingers like Dale Weise, Jordan Weal and Alex Belzile who struggled to create offence with the skilled middle man.
Anderson meanwhile, didn’t take part in the postseason because he was injured. He underwent shoulder surgery in March and would miss the remainder of the season. He was close to returning when the Blue Jackets were eliminated by the Tampa Bay Lightning in round one.
When healthy, Anderson struggled to produce offence this season. He scored just one goal and four points in 26 games.
The hulking right shot, right winger was much better in his three previous full NHL seasons and trended in the right direction every year. He scored 17 goals and 29 points in 2016-17 over a full season, then put up 19 goals and 30 points in just 63 games the following year.
Anderson really broke out in 2018-19, scoring 27 goals and 47 points in 82 games. He plays a pounding, physical style that will surely endear him to Habs fans, but how alarmed should we be at his low point totals this season?
While Domi dipped to 17 goals and 44 points, Anderson played a third of the season and had four points. That’s terrifying. It is easy to blame it on his injury, but how sure can we be that he will bounce back next season and reach 25 goals and 45 points again while grinding down defenders along the boards?
Habs general manager Marc Bergevin seems quite convinced. That is why he is assuming all of the risk in this trade. Even in a down season, Domi produced points that would make him a capable second line player. Anderson on the other hand, had as many goals as Pekka Rinne and the same number of points as Andrei Vasilevskiy this season.
Of course, goaltenders do get a lot more ice time than right wingers….
It is possible that Anderson bounces back and reaches his career highs of 27 goals and 47 points again. However, it is also possible that Domi reaches 70 points again. It would be absolutely shocking if Domi struggled to the tune of 30 points next season in Columbus.
But Anderson? Is it impossible that he lost a step or a little touch or a bit of his punishing physical play? He couldn’t get on the scoresheet at all this season and required surgery.
It is possible the 26 year old winger bounces right back, but it is also possible he never reaches 40 points again. And, the Canadiens were the team that had to add a third round pick to the deal, not the other way around.
A third round pick isn’t an enormous asset, but with the Canadiens taking on so much risk in this trade, why did they have to take on more by giving up a draft pick?
This trade could work out really well for the Canadiens down the road. But, it has a much greater chance of blowing up in their face than it does to the Columbus Blue Jackets.