Joey Anderson

February 2023 – Anderson has been traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in a package deal for Jake McCabe and Sam Lafferty. Anderson has played 14 games with the Maple Leafs this year and has three points. Moving to a depleted Blackhawks roster, he will have ample opportunity to prove himself as a full-time NHLer. Curtis Rines

February 2023 – Due to injuries and failed auditions from other depth options, Anderson has been given an extended look in the Leafs’ bottom six. In 11 games, he has contributed two goals and three points in fairly limited minutes. Anderson has shown a reliable two-way game so do not be surprised if Sheldon Keefe and his coaching staff explore giving him a look on the penalty kill. Curtis Rines

May 2022 – Anderson enjoyed something of a breakout season with the Marlies in 2021-22, leading the team with a career-high 26 goals while finishing fourth in overall team scoring. He also suited up in five games for the Leafs but was used sparingly and went without a point in his limited audition with the big club. Anderson is heading into the final year of the three-year contract he signed with the Leafs and will be 24 years old to begin next season. His league minimum salary and the well-rounded game could make him an enticing depth option for the cap-strapped Leafs in 2022-23 depending on how their offseason shakes out. If he can add even a touch more pace to his game, there is still a chance that Anderson could be a valuable piece to the NHL roster. At worst, he is great organizational depth that the team can call upon when injuries inevitably arise. Nick Richard

May 2021 – After entering the organization with promising NHL auditions under his belt, hopes were high that Anderson could enter the 4th-line rotation. Unfortunately for fantasy owners, his veteran competition was simply too competent for it to be worth holding Anderson on the taxi squad rather than play consistently in the AHL, where he spent the vast majority of 2020-21. Despite very promising streaks (5 points in 6 games to begin the season, 6 in 8 to finish it) the winger went cold during the doldrums and his total of 11 in 20 didn’t force himself into consideration for an NHL spot. Even when producing, Anderson is more of a smart complimentary scorer than a play-driver himself, putting him in a lower tier of prospects within the organization. Part of this may be due to him adding nearly 10 lbs to his frame prior to the season, if this is his new playing weight than he should only improve as he gets used to it. Despite not meeting his full potential, the point production isn’t bad and he puts up over 2 SOG/game so the fantasy vital signs are still there. Don’t give up yet, he will get a look at some point while on his ELC. Hayden Soboleski

October 2020 – The Leafs have signed Anderson to a three-year contract worth 750k annually. This inexpensive deal will be a huge driver for the bottom-six prospect seeing NHL time in the next year and increases his fantasy value. He will receive a legitimate shot at the NHL roster out of training camp, but competition is heavy so it may just be cups of coffee in 2020-21. Hayden Soboleski

October 2020 – Joey Anderson was acquired by the Toronto Maple Leafs in a move that sent Andreas Johnsson to the New Jersey Devils. The move was a cap clearing trade primarily for the Maple Leafs but the former Devil provides some interesting value, specifically as a player who fits the high energy, high-motor role that the Leafs are always in need of. He may end up being the better fit stylistically with the Leafs longterm as a player who is geared to being a bottom-six guy despite the reality that Johnsson is clearly the better player today. Anderson is a good skater who is tenacious on the puck and wins a lot of battles. The feisty forward could be of the ‘Blake Coleman’ mold as a guy who can do a bit of everything, drive results in the right direction and bring a defensive conscience to whatever line he is on. He is younger, cheaper and has shown projectability to an NHL bottom-six. While the Leafs don’t get the best player, they get the cap space they needed and a player who projects to play in the same role that Johnsson was pigeonholed into but could end up being more comfortable in that role. Tony Ferrari 

March 2020 – Anderson received another call to the big club and was playing well before the season was paused. Overall, he has six points in 18 games which includes four goals. Anderson expects to remain with New Jersey whenever the season does resume Chris Wassel

January 2020 – Anderson racked up 33 points in 40 games so far this year for Binghamton as his offensive game continues to grow. It took a little time for him to get acclimated fully to the AHL but once he did, the winger has excelled. He may get one of those late-season call-ups.  Chris Wassel

April 2019 – Anderson finished the year with three points in his last four games. He even showed a flash of offensive potential which could be a harbinger of things to come next season. Chris Wassel

March 2019 – The right-winger has had an eventful season. He enjoyed a cup of coffee in New Jersey, had an injury, rehabbed for a bit in Binghamton, then got called up again. The one aspect of his game that shines through is his ability to be supportive with or without the puck. His possession metrics are more than 3% above the team average despite an offensive zone deployment rate of 41.4%. Anderson fired five shots on net in his last three games while seeing about 12 minutes of ice time a night. The winger can kill penalties when needed and could be a stopgap on the second-unit power play in time. Chris Wassel

June 2018 – Anderson signed a contract in April to forgo his final two years at Minnesota-Duluth after winning the National Championship this spring. All reports are that he had an outstanding prospect camp for the Devils last year and they wanted to sign him last summer. Be careful looking at Anderson’s numbers from last season to this season and assuming that he didn’t progress. The UMD Bulldogs, despite their championship, was not nearly the team they were in 2016-17 after the departures of players like Iafallo and Pionk. Had he played the full 44 games, he could have finished second on the team in scoring which is where he finished last year as well. Anderson is a volume shooter in the NCAA, at 3.36 shots per game (275 shot 82 game pace) and was the captain for the USA’s WJC team this past winter. He is a great addition to your minor league system and do not be surprised if you have an NHL player on your hands as early as this fall with his work ethic, IQ, and determination. Kelly Bowler

January 2018 – Anderson continues to improve in the NCAA play after a terrific World Juniors which the team USA captain registered seven points in seven games. Anderson has returned to the University of Minnesota-Duluth in top form scoring nine points in his last seven games. Highlighting this impressive run was a four-assist game against North Dakota. Devils’ fans will hopefully have a long season of cheering Anderson on as he pushes Minnesota-Duluth closer to the Frozen Four. Grant Frey

August 2017 – Anderson was turning some heads during the World Junior Summer Showcase. Even though he was quiet for a majority of the tournament, he put on a show in the last game against Canada. Anderson proved himself against some of the top players of his age group by netting a hat trick and adding an assist in the USA’s 7-5 win over Canada. The Devils would like to get Anderson under contract as soon as possible, but for now the young forward is getting ready for what should be a dominant season at The University of Minnesota Duluth. Grant Frey

April 2017 – Anderson was a key player for Minnesota-Duluth in 2016-17 totaling 12 goals and 25 assists in 39 games during his freshman campaign. While his squad eventually dropped the Frozen Four title game to the University of Denver, Anderson tied for second in scoring among Bulldogs including two goals and five assists in his four Frozen Four contests and had an assist on their only goal in the finale. Kevin Wickersham

March 2017 – Anderson was recently named to the National Collegiate Hockey Conference All-Rookie Team, which includes Avalanche top prospect and University of North Dakota standout Tyson Jost. Anderson finished the regular season third among NCHC freshmen in scoring with 25 points, leading all first-year NCHC players in assists with 18 in 33 games. Anderson’s Bulldogs will face Western Michigan University in their NCHC Frozen Final Tournament semi-final game on March 17. Kevin Wickersham

December 2016 – Playing with top-ranked University of Minnesota-Duluth, the 18-year-old Anderson has six goals and 11 assists in 17 games. Anderson garnered increased attention last spring at the IIHF U18 championship as a bronze-medal-winning linemate of Clayton Keller and Kieffer Bellows, showcasing his upper-body strength with quick, hard shots requiring little space on the ice. His sharp positioning and penchant for making the smart pass solidified his stock in scouts’ eyes. Known for his competitive nature and grit when battling for the puck on either end of the ice, Anderson has the makings of a small but tough, hard-working, bottom-six winger at the NHL level. While not known as a particularly fast skater, Anderson profiles as a hard-working, intelligent winger with a rifle shot and creative passing ability that creates high-percentage scoring opportunities. Kevin Wickersham