Josh Anderson’s struggles have been well documented. The Montreal Canadiens have shifted the power forward up and down the lineup trying to find the player who scored 21 goals last season — with little success. However, the unexpected pairing of Anderson and Jake Evans, forced by Alex Newhook’s injury, is lighting sparks under Anderson’s feet for the first time all season, and may be the key to igniting Anderson for the rest of the campaign.
Throughout this season, the Canadiens had informally operated with their forwards separated into two groups: the “top nine” — comprising the team’s offensive core, established veterans, and blue-chip prospects, and the “bottom three” — a rotating squad of grinders, extras, and call-ups from the Laval Rocket. From time to time, these two groups would overlap. Jesse Ylonen or Joel Armia would occasionally line up next to Sean Monahan, for example, while Tanner Pearson found himself on the fourth trio. But by and large, the two categories remained distinct.
Newhook’s injury created a conundrum for Martin St-Louis. For the first time this season, despite all of their injuries, the Canadiens did not have enough “top-nine” players to fill the first three lines. The Habs started the campaign with 10. Kirby Dach’s injury made it nine, Christian Dvorak’s return made it 10 again, and then Rafael Harvey-Pinard’s departure returned it to nine. When Newhook exited Thursday night’s tilt against the Florida Panthers, the natural option would have been to elevate Pearson from the fourth line. Instead, St-Louis opted for Jake Evans.
Despite his reputation as a quintessential fourth-line centre, Evans is no stranger to playing higher up the lineup, memorably playing on the first line with Phillip Danault and Brendan Gallagher to open the Habs’ second-round tilt against the Winnipeg Jets back in 2021. But Evans is a natural centre, a precious commodity in Montreal with Dach’s injury and Newhook’s so-so experiment. Besides, the Canadiens also already have Michael Pezzetta on the roster, so moving Evans to the wing was relatively low on the list of likely moves.
Although it has only been two games, the move is already paying off in spades, and the primary beneficiary is the player on the Habs who needs a boost the most. Aside from his goal drought, Anderson had been below par when it comes to possession and driving play. However, the difference over the last four periods of hockey has been night and day. Not only does Anderson have three points — doubling his point output on the season — but he, Evans, and Monahan have been taking the game to the opposition.
In 21 minutes of even-strength hockey, Evans and Anderson have an on-ice expected goals share (xGF%) of 61.6%, leaps and bounds above Anderson’s season average of 36.8%. Despite facing a barrage of shots while defending a lead against the Seattle Kraken, Evans and Anderson have done a good job of limiting quality scoring chances, allowing only seven (and only two high danger scoring chances) during this span. And while goal-scoring is erratic and unpredictable in small sample sizes, it has to be noted that Evans and Anderson are three to the good, with zero goals allowed while they’re on the playing surface together.
In hindsight, maybe this duo’s success isn’t so surprising. Anderson arguably played his best hockey in the Tricolore during that 2021 Stanley Cup run, where he was skating alongside Paul Byron and Jesperi Kotkaniemi. Evans may not have Byron’s nose for goal, but the two are very similar players stylistically. Similarly, Monahan and Kotkaniemi both play the role of defensively responsible high-forward very well, with Monahan a superior playmaker to the then-third-year Finn.
All of this allows Anderson to play his game rather than trying to play to someone else’s rhythm, relying on his linemates to harmonize with his actions. When this works, it works brilliantly. We need look no further than one of Anderson’s most famous goals as a Canadien: the 2021 Game 4 overtime game-winner against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Anderson could take a risk and make a move past the Vegas defencemen because Byron and Kotkaniemi were in solid defensive positions, relying on Kotkaniemi to make the pass — which he did. Byron, rather than jumping alongside Anderson, trailed Montreal’s #17 to keep the play moving when Anderson can’t take the lob pass cleanly. Kotkaniemi and Byron may do much of the lifting, but the play is only possible because of Anderson.
The opening marker on Monday night against the Kraken is thematically similar. Monahan and Evans, as the two lead forecheckers, give Anderson the freedom to move into space in the high slot. Monahan funnels the Seattle player to Evans, Evans forces the turnover. And Anderson jumps on it with the poise and patience to make a read as to whether one of his linemates is the better bet. Again, his linemates do much of the lifting, but the play only culminates in a goal because of Anderson.
For the first quarter of the season, Anderson has been the weakest link among the Canadiens’ forwards. If the Powerhorse can get back to full gallop, it would go a long way to showcasing where the Habs really are in the rebuild.
