Josh Anderson keeps proving that playoff hockey still has room for the heavy, relentless winger who makes life miserable for everyone else. When the Montreal Canadiens went on their surprise run to the Eastern Conference Final, Anderson was right there in the middle of it, scoring five goals and finishing behind only Alex Newhook, Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky on the team’s postseason goal chart.
The goals matter, but that’s not really why Anderson gets paid. His real value shows up in the grind of a long series: the speed through the neutral zone, the constant pressure on the forecheck, and the kind of hits that wear down defensemen shift after shift.
At 6-foot-3 and 227 pounds, the 32-year-old brings a rare mix of size and pace, and his playoff role was crystal clear. When a teammate had control, Anderson would build speed up ice, wait for the puck to be dumped deep, and head straight for the corner with defenders already bracing for impact.
Montreal acquired the Burlington, Ontario native from the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 6, 2020, and he immediately signed a seven-year extension with a cap hit of $5.5 million per season. He is now in the final year of that deal, and his value has moved up and down over the life of the contract.
In the first three seasons, he scored at a 25-goal pace. Then came a rough 2023-24 campaign, when he managed just nine goals and 20 points in 78 games.
Over the last two seasons, though, Anderson has settled into a more defined fourth-line role. He has leaned into the simple stuff: forechecking, winning puck battles along the boards, and using his speed and strength to force mistakes. Last season he bounced back with 14 goals in 72 games and also became an important part of the penalty kill, even if offense is no longer what the Canadiens are asking him to deliver.
That puts Montreal in a tricky but manageable spot. Anderson is eligible for an extension that would begin in 2027-28, and the question is what a veteran winger like this costs in today’s market.
A couple of recent deals help frame it. A.J.
Greer, a 29-year-old fourth-liner who scored 17 goals and 32 points for the Florida Panthers last season, signed with the Anaheim Ducks for four years at $4.5 million per season after winning two Stanley Cups. Michael McCarron, another big bottom-six forward who averaged about two minutes per game shorthanded over the last two seasons, landed a six-year deal from the Minnesota Wild at $3.33 million per season after putting up eight goals and 17 points in 79 games split between the Nashville Predators and Minnesota Wild.
Anderson is a better skater than McCarron, produces more offense, and is only one year older than him.
The answer for Anderson seems to sit between those two contracts. With the salary cap now at $104 million and teams able to carry a 23-man roster, the average NHL salary is nearing $4.5 million. Anderson may not bring his best version every night in the regular season, but his playoff track record gives him real weight when it counts most.
A new deal for him right now would likely need to be four years at a $4 million cap hit. That would be below his current number, but it would still reflect what he brings: a trusted veteran, a leader, a penalty killer and a player who has already shown he can tilt a playoff series. The Canadiens can gamble on a younger option like Florian Xhekaj eventually filling that role, but finding someone who can walk into the postseason and do what Anderson does is another matter entirely.
That’s why the sense of urgency is obvious. Montreal would be wise to get him locked up before training camp begins.
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Canadiens May Have Found A Trade Fit In Calgarys Rebuild
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What makes the possibility more intriguing is the timing. The Flames are in rebuild mode, which can open the door to moves that help both sides, especially when a player is approaching a key contract decision and may not be part of the long-term plan. For the Canadiens, the question is whether this becomes a true trade fit before the 2026-27 season, or just another name that makes sense on paper while the market sorts itself out. [Read more 🡒]
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Canadiens Suddenly Loom In A Young Star Contract Squeeze
Connor Bedards new contract has already started to ripple through the NHLs next wave of negotiations, and Montreal has reason to watch closely. The deal establishes a fresh benchmark for young stars, which matters for a Canadiens team that still has cap space and could be positioned to make use of market shifts involving the leagues brightest rising forwards.
Cutter Gauthier and Adam Fantilli are among the players whose next contracts are expected to be shaped by Bedards number, and that creates a potential squeeze for teams trying to keep their young talent in line. For Montreal, the intrigue is less about what has happened than what might follow, since no offer sheets or trades have surfaced yet, but the combination of cap room and an unsettled market keeps the Canadiens in the conversation. [Read more 🡒]