The Columbus Blue Jackets and Montreal Canadiens have found some common ground, swapping restricted free agent forwards Josh Anderson and Max Domi. The Blue Jackets will also receive a 2020 third-round selection in the trade. Both players are represented by agent Darren Ferris and will need new contracts for 2020-21.
Both Anderson and Domi have had huge success in the past for their respective teams, but needed a change of scenery after some recent struggles.
In Anderson’s case, the relationship with the Blue Jackets has been strained for some time, going back to a contract negotiation in 2017 that saw him miss all of training camp. That was followed by two successful seasons, but the 26-year-old forward managed to score just a single goal in 26 games in 2019-20 while struggling with injury.
The Canadiens are obviously betting that Anderson can rebound and get back to the player who scored 27 goals in 2018-19 and looked like one of the best power forwards in the entire league. A fourth-round pick in 2012, Anderson brings size (6’3″ 220-lbs) and goal scoring to a Montreal team that lacked both this season. He’s also coming off a contract that carried a cap hit of just $1.85MM and requires just a $2.1MM qualifying offer (though is arbitration-eligible).
For Domi, this trade comes just a year after he scored 72 points for the Canadiens, the franchise’s third-highest total in the cap era. That incredible year was followed by a frustrating, 44-point season in 2019-20 however, which saw Domi dropped to the fourth line at times and just never seem to find his true footing in the Montreal lineup.
He also, quite importantly, is coming off a contract that carried a $3.15MM cap hit and will require a $2.9MM qualifying offer. Domi is expected to be looking for a substantial raise on that number, something that the Canadiens may not have felt comfortable with as they start to transition to other young centers.
Nick Suzuki and Jesperi Kotkaniemi are the future in Montreal, meaning Domi either would have had to play in the bottom-six or move to the wing. That isn’t the case in Columbus, where he can slide in as the team’s second-line center behind Pierre-Luc Dubois.
Perhaps the most interesting part in the deal is the draft pick, which seems like an asset that the Canadiens shouldn’t have had to include in a swap of these two players. Montreal certainly had plenty of capital to spend given they still have ten picks in tonight’s draft, but it is striking to see Anderson actually hold more value than Domi even after losing basically his entire season to injury.
Oof I’m not sure about this one. I love Anderson’s game and he fills a major need on Montreal but he’s coming off a rather poor season and major shoulder surgery.
Good luck Mad Max playing for Big Bad John T. We all know torts doesn’t put up with players that don’t give it all or play stupid sometimes.
Jarmo with some magic there…Anderson scored ONE goal last year. He has a bum shoulder and might never be right again. Jackets get a perfect #2 center for themselves and a third on top.
IF Anderson rebounds, that does fill a need for the Habs, but…that’s a roll of the dice.
A real hockey trade, though, so it’s great from that angle.
PS- I can’t wait for Bettman to randomly announce this trade between the 6th and 7th picks.
Lmao this is fake
Wennberg gone.
Anderson is such a wildcard – started the year SO bad, but was he hurt? How healthy is he?
Holy s*** this is not fake
Domi and a 3rd for what is probably a 2/3rd line winger that’s been injury plagued and wants big money okay then
I mean the same could be said for Domi. Realistically where is Domi on the depth chart if everyone is healthy? 3rd behind Danault and Suzuki at C at best, 3rd behind Tatar and Drouin at LW – potentially he slots in as a second line LW, but that’s not ideal.
Domi is also in line for a bigger contract than Anderson.
Anderson is a project, but he slots in perfectly as 2nd line RW if healthy and gives the Habs something they lack – blend of size and skill.
I think Domi is better than you’re giving him credit for, but I agree if Anderson stays healthy and can rebound this is a win for the habs, those are just 2 big “ifs”
It’s not that Domi is bad, but is he a better centre or is he thought more highly of by the Habs than Suzuki or Danault? Is he thought more highly of or used more often than Tatar? Would the Habs be willing to play him on the left side more than Drouin? Is it worth it to pay him 3 million plus a season to play centre on the 3rd/4th line?
The answer should be no to each of these questions and make it abundantly clear why they added Anderson at RW.
lmao Habs scammed themselves
Seems like Columbus got the better trade. Non injured player and 3rd rounder? Wow domi has been a 40 ppg player his whole career and you trade for a guy with 6 points? Yikes
What in gods name is Montreal thinking. Josh Anderson is a scrub who had one ok season. He’s a third lone winger at best and should have been had for a third round pick alone. Great trade for Columbus fleecing Montreal
Everyone knows that Anderson’s relationship was sour with Columbus. Seeing the agent is shared with both players, maybe Montreal knows Anderson will sign a cheap ‘show me deal’ and Columbus knows Domi’s asking price too?
Freeing up more money for Habs….Danieult, a DMan and 1st for Laine or Stamkos
Why in the world would you trade for stamkos
What on earth are the Habs doing. They traded the better player and sent a pick.
I agree with this statement fully.
I just don’t get it.
Wow clb got taken on this one! Atleast they got a third but Anderson is a lot better than domi, domi is not a 2nd line Center
What are you smoking, Anderson is garbage. He’s a third line player AT BEST
Your hockey knowledge is very minimal that is a steal for the Habs , domi has been traded twice already low hockey iq and very one dimensional, the jackets got taken in this trade
1 goal in 26 games coming off Surgery. It’s a wash at best. Will see.Torts will kick him in the butt for sure. One goal season from Anderson. Good luck. Habs are no playoff team for sure.
Mike Sillinger was traded 9 times.Played for 12 teams. I think he did pretty well. Tell me about Carl Voss. Why was he traded 9 times in 8 years? Better yet tell me about his life. I think it turned out pretty well.Very interesting man I think I would have wanted to meet.
This might be the single best comment I’ve seen on this site.
Good job boy Blue Jackets.Will see if torts can wake up Domi.
I said Jackets got the better end of deal. What’s wrong with that?
Mike Sillinger was traded 9 times.Played for 12 teams. I think he did pretty well. Tell me about Carl Voss. Why was he traded 9 times in 8 years? Better yet tell me about his life. I think it turned out pretty well.Very interesting man I think I would have wanted to meet.