Last year Josh Anderson was the undisputed champion as the Montreal Canadiens player that struggled most.
This wasn't the outcome he or anybody else wanted, and he used his offseason to fix some things. He reportedly went over lots of film and reintroduced the simple things that made him successful. Unfortunately, whatever he did during the summer wasn't done during the season.
But alas, the past is the past, and Anderson has found some success and does not look like a passenger anymore. Anderson looks energized, and he is using his speed and physicality to make a difference when he is on the ice. I suggested many times that simplifying the game and going back to the roots of what made him successful should have been done.
I'm not here to say 'I told you so', but it is a positive sign that No. 17 is feeling confident and helping his team in a positive way. He touched on enjoying being on the penalty kill—it was something that he did in Columbus—and using it for good. If he had a bad shift at 5-on-5, he could build up momentum with a strong kill.
The nickname The Powerhorse has been used sparingly this season, but I think as he continues to build confidence it may come back. If he can use his speed and heavy-hitting style on the penalty kill successfully and it translates to his play at even strength, that is a huge positive. With the team not playing all that great, Anderson hasn't been one of the worst players this season.
Forget the points, Anderson is playing well
Anderson has 4-6-10 statistics through 20 games to start the 2024-25 season. For some, many in fact, this doesn't stand out as a brilliant stat line, but the eye test with Anderson's game has been positive. He isn't likely to score 30 goals, which is tough to think about; but I don't think that it's a surprise to hear that.
I'm not concerned by it, because I think that he can and must impact the game in other ways to be successful. The 30-year-old hasn't lost his step and his feisty style is perfect to be disruptive on the forecheck and backcheck. I also think that having a guy of his stature is welcomed in a developing lineup, performing an insulator role.
If you look at the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, Sam Bennett and Matthew Tkachuk were the identity of the Panthers forward core. No offence to Aleksander Barkov, who is a two-way monster, but Bennett and Tkachuk made the Edmonton Oilers lives a nightmare. The pair can play any way you want and they are as pesky as it gets.
Having said that, having some gritty, sandpaper-style players is important and Anderson fits that description.