Montreal Canadiens: Trading Josh Anderson is tough, or is it?

The Montreal Canadiens may be looking to explore trade options for Josh Anderson. It will be interesting to see how those negotiations work out. In a recent piece from Montreal Hockey Now, there was talk of the New Jersey Devils being interested in Anderson.

During his time in Montreal, Josh Anderson has been a vital part of the Habs’ forward core. The Montreal Canadiens even locked him up with a seven-year, $38.5 million contract in October 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Montreal Hockey Now piece details an excerpt from a podcast and how it sets up Anderson as a possible target of the Devils this season. The big-bodied forward has become an integral part here in Montreal, but for the right price, I’d bet Kent Hughes will pull the trigger on the move.

Montreal Canadiens forward Josh Anderson could be on the move.

While some think Anderson is unlikely to be trade bait, it seems complicated to believe that Hughes would pass up on a trade that helps the team move forward. Especially with this year being labeled a rebuilding/retooling year as they get things back on track.

That’s where moving someone like Anderson would get some traction, especially if the Devils or whoever the suitor is, flash some big-name prospects who could help the Habs continue to build for a future of sustainable winning.

They have a top line that continues to get the job done, but the Habs need to keep building their roster. Moving Anderson may seem unlikely, but it could be the best move for the future. The former fourth-rounder has. He has been with the Habs for the last three seasons.

He’s proven to be an anomaly. Anderson has that mix of strength and size that couples well with skill and ability to find the back of the net. The winger has five goals and two assists for seven total points over 15 games played in 2022-23.

After a career year in 2018-19, pre-COVID, Anderson has struggled to find the scoring touch as much as he did before. But, he has still been a real asset to the Habs organization. Moving him does seem like a tough ask, but I would not count Anderson as off the board.

As mentioned, if Hughes thinks the deal will make the Habs organization better off moving forward, he will pull the trigger on the deal Time will tell, and it’s always unlikely to move a player locked up through four more seasons, but stranger things have happened.