Canadiens Trade Domi to Blue Jackets for Anderson
The Montreal Canadiens announced they traded center Max Domi and a 2020 third-round pick to the Columbus Blue Jackets for winger Josh Anderson.
Montreal Canadiens trade Max Domi to the Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL Images).
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Domi and Anderson are restricted free agents with arbitration rights. Domi, 25, completed a two-year, $6.3 million contract while the 26-year-old Anderson is coming off a three-year, $5.5 million deal.
Domi and Anderson frequently surfaced in the rumor mill last season, often linked as a possible swap. While Domi had a 72-point performance in 2018-19, his stats tumbled to 44 points last season and he spent some time on the Habs fourth line during the playoffs.
Anderson tallied 27 goals and 47 points in ’18-’19. However, he was sidelined most of last season by a shoulder injury that required surgery to repair.
The Blue Jackets were in the market for a scoring center while the Canadiens were looking for a power forward. This move seems to address those needs, though time will tell which club benefits the most from this trade.
Good trade
OK, a real deal. Did not see them getting traded for each other….
Torts gonna love some Domi til he loses the game on a bad penalty
I really don’t understand this from Montreal other than that it is obvious they have soured on Domi. I mean:
– Domi’s terrible year is 3 points less than Anderson’s best year.
– Anderson spent almost all of this past season injured.
– Domi can play center or wing
How does that end up with Montreal being the one throwing the 3rd pick here? Columbus gets a great potential center behind Dubois and Montreal gets a highly-esteemed sub-50-point guy who is one more shoulder injury from retirement (exaggeration).
Completely agree with you, but I guess the thinking is that the players are near equal in strength…
Habs are giving the 3rd rounder because they save cap space as Anderson is cheaper than Domi.
This is a good deal for the Habs, SCJ. Domi is a good player but did not play well at wing and the Habs have a log jam at center.
The Habs will certainly have done their due diligence by looking at the medical reports. They got something the really need: size on the wing.
I agree with you but wonder if it’s about goals and shooting … which is why they soured on Domi, right?
Many pure goal scorers have terrible plus/minuses which makes you wonder why any team wants them. And the simple answer is they are desirable because of how you deploy them.
Domi’s stock was way down and no real Habs fan thought he’d return much, sorry Chrisms, but the really difficult part of this deal is the uncertainty on the return. But if Domi’s assists are replaced by KK or Suzuki, and Anderson is able to pot the goals, it will be a good deal. Here is hoping it’s not another Sergachev.
Doesn’t really matter either way. Both are good enough players who will be paid more than they should for not being difference makers.
đź‘Ť bang on
@LJ – I don’t think Columbus went out and gave Montreal a full look at the medical history. Could always be wrong, but I simply can’t see it.
I certainly would have thought (not a MTL fan) that Domi would have gotten more in the return. I get that Montreal wants goals, but it isn’t as if Anderson is proven in that department. And who knows (medical report or not) how he comes back from missing a season…is he missing some power on his shot from the residual effects of the injury? does he shy away a bit from physical play to avoid getting hurt again?
Montreal obviously got the player type they wanted and, as several people have noted, if Anderson comes back healthy then this may not look bad. BUT if Domi goes to Columbus and gets some #2C minutes and is back to 70 points; put that against another 45 point Anderson season and this is yet another poor Montreal trade.
As Al Arbour always said: “I can teach a scorer to check [you can be Tort’s will try], but I can’t teach a checker to score.” Obviously that downplays Anderson’s upside as he has some decent scoring ability. But he is still 65G-50A-115P in 267 games.
The media is reporting he had a torn labrum. What I have read is that it is a 4 month period to recover, and that Columbus announced Anderson would have played in the second round of this year’s playoffs had Columbus advanced.
I am not part of the Habs’ inner circle so it is possible that Columbus was not transparent. But that seems to me a far fetched.
I don’ think the Habs think they snuck a sniper out of Columbus. The Habs will take decent scoring ability supplemented by size. They are too small up front.
@LJ – in a world of “suffered an upper body injury” and teams making trades while refusing to let the other team discuss salary ahead of time, I don’t know how a lack of transparency regarding a players medical history is far-fetched. I would expect it is the norm and I can’t imagine why Columbus would gift that information to Montreal if they didn’t absolutely have to.
Leverage. Montreal needed a big body more than Columbus needed a small centre. Another good move by Bergevin.
Gotta be a bit of an eye opener for the habs fans thinking domi was gonna fetch a first or more.
Even so, IF Anderson is healthy and returns to form the fans are going to love his game and will quickly forget Domi.
Good move by Bergevin. Anderson is right up Julien’s alley.
Wasn’t a comment on the move George… a comment on habs fans, hell all fans, on the bias they have. I’m not excluded. Domi took a sweetener move for a high risk somewhat high reward player.
Yeah, there is that ever-present “perception” to deal with. And like I say, it’ll all be good IF Anderson is healthy when it all begins and returns to form. But if he isn’t and doesn’t the reaction from the fan base will be like nothing Anderson has ever seen before and Bergevin may as well start packing his bags.
You have to think, however, he’s had a full medical report and is reasonably confident he’s good to go – especially since the season won’t start until at least January anyway.
As you say a full medical report… but you and many others site Murray (my fan shining through) as having injury issues and how that effects his value. Yet I’m sure he would have a full medical report as well.
If Anderson returns to form. Missed a lot of hockey. Shoulders are tricky ask Tarasenko
The issue with Murray is with the fact his injuries involve concussions which can have the habit of being repeated. Where Ottawa is concerned, they already face that issue with Nilsson so I can see why Dorion might hesitate.
Yeah but that type of shoulder injury is a very serious one for a hockey player. Even after full recovery, the tugging and pulling on shoulders is high. The truth is even if the guy returns to anything less that 100% before his injury, Habs fans are still gonna love him. They’ll miss the goals but they’ll come from others. Still needs a contract…who’ll sign the better contract?
Columbus wins this trade easily and get a 3rd rounder.
It is a risk move by Bergevin… but I think a calculated risk
Anderson is not being rushed back in from surgery…. fair chance of full and solid recovery… and his size grit and energy will do very well for Habs
Clb gets a piece they were missing
I’ll be honest… didn’t think this deal was going to be a 1 fo 1 with a firm pick… I thought the pick would have been conditional
Hope this works out for both Domi and Anderson
Now what is the contract that each of them get?
Domi will learn how to block shots.
LOL. He’d better.
I just picture Torts in practice throwing pucks at Domi (think the Dodgeball movie scene with wrenches)…”If you can block a wrench, you can block a puck.” [Sorry]
I thought the Habs could have gotten more for Domi. Like a decent, B level prospect. But it ultimately comes down to how well Anderson plays. If he can return to 2018-19 form, it will be a solid trade for the Habs, even if the Domi of 2018-19 returns, because, in the long run, they’re better off with Danault, Suzuki and KK at Center and because Anderson brings something to the Habs which they sorely needed. Size with scoring ability. But if he doesn’t return to form, Bergevin will be done.
This may have to do with money as Domi’s qualifying offer has to be higher. Maybe beefy thinks Anderson will sign it for cheap, we know Domi won’t settle for 105%.
Not sure what you mean by Bergevin will be done, Howard.
He made a great deal getting Allen as a solid back up for Price, something much needed. The last couple of years the Habs got next to no points out of their back ups.
Edmunson looks like a good signing, and extending Petry was a good deal. Their prospect pool is strong.
The Habs had needs in goal, on D and size up front. In what, two weeks, Bergevin has ticked all the boxes. And he isn’t likely done.
The only team that is going to come into next season with more improvement is Ottawa, due to their obscene # of high draft picks.
And Montreal has a first and three seconds as of now. Seriously, what is not to like?
@ LJ – to start, I don’t mean to keep responding countering your posts.
I agree 100% that they needed to do something with the goaltending. I also don’t think Allen was a terrible choice. BUT, with so many UFA choices around that could have been had for salary, why trade useful assets for Allen. They could easily have had Greiss for less $, or several of the other talented UFA’s that have performed better.
Bergevin has been active for sure. But I don’t think they’ve improved all that much. Improved a little for sure, but nothing that really moves the needle all that much, especially for what they are paying.
I have a torn bicep and I had a physical with my primary all medical records go straight to him even though my surgery was a different affiliated hospital. My point is Montreal had seen all the medical records. is it a gamble yes Domi wanted out however changed twitter account got a new agent. Josh Anderson is the power forward we coveted an targeted as an organizational need. It is a fair deal the contract I an sure will be the same as Domi would have received and that’s my point coming for a Habs fan. We still have room to add also
I would have been much happier not having to toss in a 3rd rounder, but I’m content. Apparently Boston was looking at Anderson so.. last thing the Habs needed.
It addresses a need people just keep harping on the Habs for (and rightfully so), lack of size up front.
Domi is also going to command a bigger deal I think, due to being considered a second line center and having a 70+ point season. Probably where the 3rd rounder came from. Cap space is at an absolute premium right now.
I dont think adding a 3rd pick is a big deal if it takes that to close the deal. 5% of 3rd rounders reach NHL and Mtl has lots of picks to the point they cannot sign them all.
Fact is Mtl needed a player with Anderson’s profile. I’m much more concerned by his health. A power forward who has bad shoulders to the point he needs surgery is a bad start in my little book. Big gamble. Time will tell. If he can play like he did in 18-19, it will be a good trade.
Sorry… 15% od 3rd round draftees reach NHL level… Bad typo….