The Avalanche add to the blue line - Josh Anderson

With their third round pick in the NHL draft the Avalanche selected blue liner Josh Anderson. After the first two rounds of the draft came and went with the team failing to address what most fans, from the casual to the hard core, felt was their biggest weakens many were making very vocal out crys for some help on the back end. Well your crys have been heard Avalanche Nation, let me introduce to you Josh Anderson!

Photo Credit: www.eliteprospects.com

Lets take a look at who they were able to pick up here..

Height: 6' 3"
Weight: 210
Position: D
Birthplace: Duncan, British Columbia

Anderson is a big physical defensive defenseman who has some skating ability. He is a very physical player and has shown glimpses of potentially having the ability to put up some respectable offensive numbers at the next level. He played the last couple years with the the Prince George Cougars of the WHL. He was drafted third overall in the WHL draft by the team. The biggest area of concern with Anderson is his ability to stay healthy. In the last two years he has only managed to play a total of 82 games with the Prince George Cougars. He also brings a physical presence to the back end and is a willing dance partner should he find someone who is ready to go. Here is one of his fights from this year(2016) for you to enjoy.




Here is what one NHL scout is saying about Anderson:

"Anderson is a heavy-hitting defensive defenseman with above average mobility who loves to mix it up and provide reliable play inside his own end. He’s an excellent crease-clearer who ensures any forward gets a wood massage to the back if daring enough to venture his way. Anderson’s upper body strength is significant — he is strong enough to tie up his man (and often someone elses) long enough to allow his goalie to react or clear a loose puck in the goal mouth. He hasn’t completely recovered from the back injury but was invited to participate in the interviews at the pre-draft combine. In terms of offense, don’t expect much of anything from Anderson, as he owns an average shot and in quintessential stay-at-home type fashion, only uses it when the puck finds him rather than the other way around. All things considered, he still has NHL potential thanks to his footwork and size."


Here is a nice interview with the young Defenseman that was shot about seven months ago.

Personally I am predicting that he will go back to his WHL team for another season before joining the avalanche's AHL team the San Antonio Rampage. I would put a two year time frame on his development before we are seeing him in an Avalanche sweater. That being said there have been many players in recent years in the NHL who have come into camp and been a big time surprise and worked hard enough to make the team out of camp. If there is a player that the Avalanche drafted this year who could be a dark horse player to surprise in camp and battle his way into the opening night roster it would be Anderson. The need on the back end and the physical presence that he brings to a team are things that the current Avalanche are in dire need of. I don't expect it to happen, but i also wouldn't bee too shocked if it did. I am looking at Anderson as being a really solid d partner for Tyson Barrie a year or two down the road.