Many Montreal Canadiens fan may be shaking their heads at the thought of Josh Anderson being slotted anywhere other than the fourth line.
Now hear me out before you say no, or why reward him if he doesn't play well enough to deserve such a role. Kirby Dach and Patrik Laine are creators and play drivers, but they aren't exactly the players that you want to crash and bang in the corners unless it's necessary. Now, you see where I'm going with this?
Anderson is a crash-and-bang kind of player, whose speed is a difference maker, and when paired with his physical brand of hockey he isn't easy to match up against. If Anderson can get back to his speedy, heavy-hitting style, banging bodies in the corners and retrieving pucks, that could be a huge benefit to Anderson. With Dach and Laine, he will also find many rush chances and his passes will more often than not be put to good use.
Anderson goes back to the basic's
Last season is in the past now, and you can bet your bottom dollar that Anderson wants it to remain that way. The best way to forget about the past is to focus squarely on the future and make the best of it. The first step in doing that will be at the Canadiens training camp; if he wishes to make an impact that will be the best place to start.
Dach is hoping to stay healthy and get back on track and the same can be said for Laine, so adding Anderson into the mix could be a fun idea. All three players have something to prove and if they play to their potential, they will not be much fun to play against. Again, this is all based on how training camp goes, but Anderson has more experience than guys like Alex Newhook and Joshua Roy, who could be in line for a promotion to the second line.
Experience means nothing if hard work and some puck luck don't intertwine with it, but this idea isn't so crazy. Picture Anderson driving the opponent's nuts with his footspeed and heavy body checks. This will give his linemates space to work with, which is exactly what they need to create some magic.
We will see what happens, but Anderson might find some significant success alongside two-thirds of Kent Hughes past offseason blockbuster acquisitions.