The Canadiens want to make a trade to improve the team before resolving the Josh Anderson situation

DansLesCoulisses.com
The Canadiens want to make a trade to improve the team before resolving the Josh Anderson situation
Credit: Mark LoMoglio/NHLI via Getty Images

The bright spot for the Canadiens in Wednesday's loss to the Capitals was Josh Anderson's performance. His two goals proved why he currently deserves a spot on the second line.

Anderson chose the perfect moment to play at his best, given that his contract is set to expire at the end of the season.

Kent Hughes already knew, before the start of the season, that he would have to address the issue of a contract extension for his new assistant captain. However, the general manager told him he would first focus on trades to improve the team, and then turn his attention to Anderson's future contract. This was revealed by Darren Dreger on Thursday during his “Early Trading” segment on TSN.

Hughes wanted to set the record straight: he's not delaying negotiations with Anderson out of disrespect, but rather to improve the team.

The good news is that Dreger confirmed that Anderson and his family would very much like to stay in Montreal. This is a factor that has helped in certain negotiations in the past.

On top of that, Anderson now has the “A” on his jersey. It's a sign of trust, but also a little treat for a player who has given so much to the team.

Anderson is currently handling the situation in the best possible way. His six points in seven games show that the Habs made the right call in naming him assistant captain. It might also force Kent Hughes to shift his priorities slightly to offer him a new contract quickly.

Speaking of Anderson's performances, they haven't gone unnoticed. At BPM Sports, Gilbert Delorme named him “Player of the Game” for the match against the Capitals, while Georges Laraque and Stéphane Gonzalez called him one of the league's best power forwards.

Gonzo even suggested that if he keeps this up, Anderson could have the best season of his career at age 32.

Playing for a contract gives NHL players an extra boost, and Josh Anderson doesn't seem to be an exception to the rule.

Everything is going well so far, but the only issue is that Anderson's agent, Darren Ferris, likes to push his players to test the free-agent market on July 1.

Ferris, who favors complete autonomy, versus Kent Hughes, who refuses to lose his players without getting something in return: this will be interesting to watch.


In Brief

– Trade between the Canucks and the Maple Leafs.

– Hockey players sure are a rowdy bunch.

– A big dilemma for the Alouettes.

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