There was a time when watching Montreal Canadiens’ forward Josh Anderson skate with the puck was a little like watching a runaway freight train. You knew something was going to happen, you just weren't entirely sure who was going to get flattened along the way. Unfortunately, there were also stretches when that freight train appeared to be running on a diesel engine with a bad fuel pump.
This season, however, we're seeing something Canadiens fans have wanted to see more consistently. Anderson is scoring, throwing his weight around, getting involved offensively and contributing in areas that don't necessarily show up on the highlight reels. Through 18 games, the one many nicknamed the Powerhorse has eight goals and four assists for 12 points, putting him second on the Canadiens in goals, on pace for 35 goals this season. Further, only Cole Caufield, Lane Hutson and Nick Suzuki have more points than him on the team. That’s right, he’s tied with Juraj Slafkovsky in points.
And here's another interesting detail. He isn’t playing on the power-play point this season. His production is coming without the benefit of prime real estate on the man advantage. He's also averaging roughly two minutes of short-handed ice time per game, adding another dimension to his contribution.
That's what makes Anderson interesting. He's not simply a big winger who can skate fast and occasionally put somebody through the boards. At 6-foot-3 and 226 pounds, he combines size with surprising speed, can drive the net, forecheck aggressively, protect the puck and make life miserable for opposing defencemen. He also understands his defensive responsibilities, contributes on the penalty kill and isn't afraid to drop the gloves when circumstances call for it.
In other words, he's a rather useful Swiss Army knife, considering the knife continues working even when not at 100%. His physical presence is particularly valuable on a team that needs players willing to make opponents pay a price for spending too much time around the Montreal net. Anderson has already registered 39 hits this season. He doesn't have to score every night to influence a game, although it's certainly nice when he remembers where the net is.
And let's not overlook his playoff contributions. Last spring, Anderson scored five goals and added two assists in 19 playoff games. He ranked fourth among Montreal players in postseason goals, while finishing third in hits. His previous memorable Canadiens playoff run came in 2021, when he scored five goals in 22 games. He has demonstrated that his particular combination of size, speed and physicality can be especially useful when the game gets tighter and the available ice starts disappearing.
The business side of Anderson
When Montreal acquired Anderson from Columbus on October 6, 2020, Marc Bergevin surrendered Max Domi and a third-round pick, 78th overall. Two days later, the Canadiens signed Anderson to a seven-year, $38.5-million contract carrying an annual cap hit of $5.5 million.
Anderson was 26 at the time, coming off a shoulder injury that had limited him to 26 games the previous season. However, he had scored 27 goals and collected 47 points in 2018-19. Bergevin was betting on a power forward entering his prime, and the contract reflected that expectation. We're now approaching the final season of that agreement. Anderson will become an unrestricted free agent in July 2027, at age 33. His next contract is where things get interesting.
I wouldn't use his current eight-goal start as the measuring stick. His 23.5 per cent shooting percentage is considerably higher than his career average, so expecting him to maintain that scoring rate would be about as sensible as expecting the Canadiens to win every game by three goals. Nevertheless, his previous two seasons produced 27 and 23 points respectively, with 15 and 14 goals. There's a legitimate body of work here beyond the current hot streak.
For some perspective, Andrew Mangiapane signed a two-year contract with Edmonton worth $3.6 million annually in July 2025, following a 28-point season. Jason Zucker, who was 33 when he signed his two-year extension with Buffalo in March 2025, received $4.75 million annually after producing 44 points in 54 games. At the other end of the scale, Michael Bunting signed a one-year, $1.2-million deal with Philadelphia in October 2026 after collecting 33 points in 74 games.
None is a perfect comparison, but they illustrate the range of possibilities for established wingers entering their thirties. Anderson offers more size, physicality and penalty-killing value than some of those players, while his overall offensive production doesn't justify automatically placing him in Zucker's salary neighbourhood.
There's another factor to consider, though. All those contracts were signed before the salary cap took its latest considerable jump, and before Flyers GM Daniel Brière decided to singlehandedly give NHL agents another reason to smile with his $18-million offer sheet to Leo Carlsson. The market has moved, and it's reasonable to believe Anderson could command more than the examples above, even if he's prepared to leave some money on the table to stay in Montreal, something he's already indicated he would like to do.
My estimate? Somewhere around $3.75 million to $5 million annually, ideally on a two, maybe three-year contract. If he continues producing, remains healthy and maintains his current level of engagement, perhaps there's room to negotiate toward the upper end. A longer commitment would make me considerably less comfortable.
Kent Hughes has to consider the player Anderson is today, not the player everyone imagined when that seven-year contract was signed. There's a difference between rewarding good performance and paying for yesterday's expectations.
The bottom line
I would like to see Anderson remain a Canadien. Players with his combination of size, speed, toughness, defensive awareness and playoff usefulness aren't growing on trees. Nor should his contributions be reduced to whether he scores 20 goals. But there's a price for everything, including a freight train.
Former Canadiens’ GM often said that on a team, there are players who will help you make the playoffs, and others who will help you win in the playoffs. Anderson definitely fits the second category.
The Powerhorse is turning it on. Now he has to keep it on long enough to make the next contract conversation a pleasant problem for Kent Hughes, rather than another seven-year commitment that leaves everyone wondering what happened to the engine.
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