Major Turnaround for Josh Anderson: Is a Trade Coming Imminently?

Pagnotta's insight suggests that while teams are looking at Anderson, they may not be willing to pay a high price for him, given his performance and contract situation. Last season, the Canadiens had a fixed price for Anderson, but it's presumed that this price has since decreased, especially after a season where Anderson's output significantly dropped to just seven goals and 16 points. His $5.5 million salary for three more seasons makes trading him challenging without an attractive offer.

However, the possibility of trading Anderson isn't completely off the table. With some creativity, especially during the summer when teams have more flexibility with their salary cap, and considering the salary cap is expected to rise by $4 million, there might be an opportunity to offload his contract. Pagnotta mentioned that the Canadiens might need to retain a portion of Anderson's salary to make a trade feasible.

This development is particularly relevant for the Canadiens' management, as Anderson, despite being paid as a top-6 forward, has not been able to deliver offensively to justify such a role. Coach Martin St-Louis finds himself in a difficult position, trying to jumpstart Anderson by pairing him with capable linemates, even though Anderson's performance has been more akin to a fourth-line player.

If GM Kent Hughes can manage to trade Anderson without significantly impacting the Canadiens' salary cap situation, it could be seen as a strategic move for the organization's future, even if it means retaining some of his salary to facilitate a deal.

The situation underscores the complexities of managing player contracts and performance in the NHL, especially when a player's output does not match their pay grade. For Montreal, finding a solution for Anderson's contract could provide some much-needed flexibility and potentially open up opportunities to rebuild or retool the roster more effectively.