After a season that was cut short due to injury, former Columbus Blue Jacket Josh Anderson had to go negotiate a new contract. It was going to be an uphill battle after scoring one goal in 26 games during the 2019-2020 campaign.
What we have recently learned is the fact that Anderson apparently put his cards on the table early in the process and let the Blue Jackets know that if they were serious about keeping him around they needed to step up to the plate.
More info from Elliotte Friedman in his 31 Thoughts column:
4. Anderson, by the way, was resolute in his belief: a one-year contract walking himself to free agency, or the max. Columbus had the hammer the last time his contract was up — this time the leverage was his. That’s one of the reasons the Blue Jackets made the trade, and he did not change his mind for Montreal. Have to admire it.
That means given what we know now, the Blue Jackets would have either have had to give Anderson an eight-year contract or a one year contract. Which if that is the case going into it, general manager Jarmo Kekalainen could not have been thrilled with what he was dealing with. Given that knowledge, it also makes the trade for forward Max Domi, all the more impressive.
Who knows how the market could have been shaped after the draft and all the different contract negotiations. Now with a seven-year deal in tow worth 38.5 million dollars, Anderson got his while the getting was good. The pandemic and a flat cap are causing teams to reign in their spending and in many cases shave off money where it is possible.
Asset management is important and it looks like the Blue Jackets did well by maximizing their asset while they still could.
