2 players channel speed of Anderson
A name keeps MONTREAL — cropping up with players such as Eric Robinson and Kole Sherwood, the Blue Jackets’ top prospects at power forward.
“They want me playing like Anderson,” said Sherwood, who made his NHL debut Saturday at the Chicago Blackhawks.
Before being reassigned Tuesday to minor-league Cleveland, that meant Sherwood racking up six hits on Monday in the Jackets’ 5-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. He stands 6 feet 1, weighs 202 pounds and has top-end speed. Robinson, meanwhile, is 6-2, 200 and has just as much speed, if not more.
They are similar, in those aspects, to the “Anderson” that Sherwoodreferenced — Josh Anderson, who is even bigger and might be the fastest of the three. Anderson already has set a career-high in goals, scoring his 21st Tuesday in a 3-2 loss at the Montreal Canadiens, and he has a good chance to finish with 25 or more. He also is playing a solid two-way game, using his 6-3, 221-pound frame to inflict damage, and his speed is breathtaking.
His shot is, too, whether it’s delivered with the flick of a wrist or with his full weight behind a slap shot.
“He was very effective,” coach John Tortorella said after Anderson contributed a goal and assist at Montreal. “He is becoming more and more consistent. The most important thing is I think Josh Anderson feels really good about himself. It doesn’t matter what I say about him. I think he feels really good about himself.”
That showed against the Canadiens, as Anderson used his growing confidence to create two great scoring chances for himself off rushes to the net. Using nimble hands, he nearly scored twice off backhand attempts, cutting across the low slot in front of goaltender Carey Price.
The first shot slid just wide of the left post, after he already had beaten Price with a wrist shot, and the second popped through the goalie’s pads and settled in the crease for defenseman Shea Weber to clear.
“That’s my mentality every night,” said Anderson, who is second on the team with 163 shots and has scored on 12.9 percent of them. “If I get the chance to shoot it on net, I’m a shooter. I’m going to shoot the puck. I had a couple of opportunities (Tuesday). We were fortunate to get a couple (of goals), but when it mattered at the end, Price came up big.”
Anderson did, too, which Tortorella acknowledged afterward. Despite the frustration of losing a second straight game, the coach was impressed by Anderson’s play — in that game and overall.
“He’s becomeaforce,” Tortorella said. “Josh had a little bit of 1-on-1 in him (against Montreal), as far as carrying the puck, and I thought did a terrific job. His speed just backs off teams’ defense.”
Now, imagine adding another player — or two — with that ability.
Anderson’s physical traits have always been coveted in the NHL, but especially now. The league is getting smaller and quicker, and big forwards with speed — and who can score 20-plus goals — are game-changing talents, particularly in the playoffs.
The Blue Jackets have already developed one, and they are working on more in Robinson, 23, and Sherwood, 22.