After a standoff that stretched throughout the summer, the Columbus Blue Jackets have finally re-signed restricted free agent Josh Anderson for three-years with an AAV of $1.85 million.
Earlier, Bob McKenzie tweeted about how the Blue Jackets want to sign Anderson to a three-year deal, while the Anderson camp wanted to sign a one year deal of $735,000.
It was Elliotte Friedman who broke the news and Aaron Portzline who not long afterwards confirmed it.
Hearing Josh Anderson is going to take the three-year deal in CLB and sign. $1.85M AAV. End of the day, players want to play.
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) October 3, 2017
Can confirm report by @FriedgeHNIC that #CBJ have agreed to terms on 3 yr, $5.55M deal w Josh Anderson. Nothing is signed yet, however.
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) October 3, 2017
Blue Jackets Re-Sign Forward Josh Anderson
Anderson broke through last season playing in 78 games with 17 goals and 12 assists. All 17 of his goals were at even strength.
Possible Lineup Changes
It is possible that Anderson plays in the home opener on Friday, October 7th, but there could be visa delays; as we saw with Alexander Wennberg, who arrived late into training camp.
Anderson is a solid bottom-sixer and with the lineup all but confirmed, this means that someone is going to have to come out of the lineup to make room for him. While Columbus hasn’t announced all their moves, which have to be finalized by tomorrow 5pm, it is most likely that Sonny Milano and Pierre-Luc Dubois make the team.
Dubois and Milano played very well in the preseason, while Anderson hasn’t skated with the Blue Jackets yet.
Milano has made great improvements from season’s past. While with the Cleveland Monsters last season coach John Madden made Milano work on being more defensively responsible, even playing him on the penalty kill.
Dubois, while playing mostly on wing, has looked like a sure-fire opening night starter. His preseason included a two goal game against the St. Louis Blues and a very nice assist on a Matt Calvert goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
For Anderson to make his way into the lineup someone may need to get injured or have a bad game for him to prove that he deserves to stick.
Likely Spot
It’d be easier for him to take Milano’s sport, because Milano’s will most likely also be a third line role. He also wouldn’t require waivers to send down.
For now, we have to wait for Anderson to officially sign the contract and for coach John Tortorella to decide who deserves to be on the team.
