Three Montreal Canadiens Players Who Need To Prove Something Down The Stretch

Josh Anderson

Josh Anderson is certainly not out there in the final ten games looking to earn a contract. He has a payday guaranteed for the next few years. Even if he gets bought out in that time, he is going to earn a lot of money in the next couple years.

That is because as soon as he arrived in Montreal, he signed a seven year deal with a $5.5 million cap hit. That was four years ago so he is now looking ahead at three more years left on that contract, but he really has not earned his enormous pay this season.

Anderson has a fascinating package of talents, including size and blazing speed as well as a great shot. He has just never developed his playmaking and vision enough to create offense for his linemates in his career. Also, this season, he has just eight goals in 67 games played. Add on his ten assists and he has 18 points, and is playing at a pace that would give him 22 points over a full 82 game season.

With ten games left, a 29 year old winger signed for three more seasons may not appear to have a lot to play for. But Anderson has looked disinterested and not engaged physically for a while now. He needs to use this final stretch to show he still cares and is willing to battle for pucks, forecheck and make the defenders on the opposing team feel a little uncomfortable.

Otherwise, the Canadiens could be looking to just get rid of his contract this summer.