CHICAGO — Objectively, Joey Anderson was one of the best defensive forwards in the entire NHL last season.
In Evolving-Hockey’s model, he had the 22nd-highest even-strength defensive metric of all forwards. The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn described Anderson as having a “shockingly high defensive rating” and projected only Teuvo Teräväinen to have a higher rating on the Blackhawks this season. According to Corey Sznajder’s tracking data, Anderson led the Blackhawks in forecheck pressures last season. That’s all notable regardless, but considering the Blackhawks were the second-worst defensive team last season, what he did seems even more impressive.
Based on all that and the fact the Blackhawks have put so many resources into their analytics department in recent years, you would think Anderson would be a team darling and a lineup lock this season. The public and private data can’t be that much different. Reuniting Anderson with Jason Dickinson and Nick Foligno on a line could have been logical. It was the only Blackhawks line with 100 minutes of five-on-five ice time together to outscore its opponents.
That wasn’t to be, though. When training opened last week, Dickinson and Foligno were back together in coach Luke Richardson’s initial lines, joined by newcomer Ilya Mikheyev. Anderson was put on what would be probably deemed the fifth line alongside Landon Slaggert and Ryan Donato, who are also likely fighting for NHL roster spots.
None of it was a surprise to Anderson. The Blackhawks began showing their cards in the offseason when they signed him to a contract with a $800,000 cap hit and brought in five new forwards with higher cap hits. He is well aware of all the youth coming, too. Anderson knew he’d enter camp penciled in on the roster bubble.
It doesn’t faze him either. Anderson is probably one of the least entitled NHL players around. At 26 and entering his seventh pro season, he understands exactly how he’s viewed by most NHL teams. He doesn’t score enough to be in high demand. His skating isn’t the prettiest and falls short in the eye test for some. Even with how he performed last season and how the analytics support what he did, he gets he has to prove it all over again. That may just be how it goes his entire career.
“It feels like it,” Anderson said.
Not that Anderson is complaining. He believes in what the Blackhawks are doing.
“They’re trying to create competition and that’s a good thing,” he said. “Like I said, this year I think it helps they have some more familiarity with me as a player, but they’re trying to push everybody and make things hard. And down the line, that’s how you be competitive in this league. It’s no different for me. Getting time on last year’s team was obviously going to be easier than finding time on this year’s team, so that’s a good thing. That’s just the reality of the business.
“You want to be on a good team. So it’s try and claw and fight your way into a spot. If you’re not in a spot, try and continue to grind and push other guys and push yourself to find that role eventually going forward.”
Anderson has been clawing since camp opened. It doesn’t hurt that he, Slaggert and Donato play similar games. They get after it on the forecheck, look to convert their defense into offense and play overall smart hockey. Anderson isn’t going to turn heads offensively, but he has some offensive ability. He scored one of two goals in a recent scrimmage and helped create other scoring chances. In Wednesday’s preseason opener, he’s expected to play with Paul Ludwinski and Samuel Savoie, two more strong forecheckers.
Anderson’s aim isn’t to win a spot with a single play on Wednesday, but rather to impress Richardson and Blackhawks management when they look at everything he’s done. It’s how he ultimately earned ice time after being recalled last season from the AHL. His consistency adds up over time.
“Every time you’re on the ice you try to show them a little more, a little more,” Anderson said. “Whether it’s a little wall play, whether it’s scoring a goal, whether it’s taking a good defensive posture, things that they’re going to look back at film and look at and notice. You just try to have a positive impact in their head. The goal every day is to feel good about the body of work you’re putting in and get ready for regular-season hockey.”
Richardson has been honest about where Anderson stands within the roster.
“Just like lots of other guys, just fighting for a position in the camp,” Richardson said. “And like I said, I know it was (the other day), those guys will show us who wants it more and who deserves it more. And that’s who we’re going to start off the season with. So, Joey’s always just a guy, sometimes not flashy, but that’s a good thing, because you’re like, ‘Oh, never one mistake.’ He always makes good puck decisions, and he’s a strong guy. He makes good decisions. He’s not afraid to shoot the puck when it’s time to shoot the puck too. So he played really well for us at times, both probably the second half of the last two seasons that I’ve been here. And good professional, always great to have around. That’s why I think one of the first guys signed back last summer was him.”
Don’t get it wrong, the Blackhawks do think highly of Anderson. They re-signed him for two years because they respect him as a player and person. Whether he’s in Chicago or Rockford, management knows Anderson will go about his business and help in any way he can. It’s just the Blackhawks aren’t sure where he’ll be.
Anderson obviously doesn’t want to be back with the Rockford IceHogs. He’d prefer the NHL over the AHL like anyone. But he does know that’s a possibility.
“Now especially with the family, we hope for one, but always have to be ready,” Anderson said. “I’ve been moved all over before. I find it best to be prepared for anything. Like I said, you try your hardest on the ice and the chips will fall where they fall. You can’t control … those are decisions for management and the coaching staff. But I got to make sure I take care of my family and we’re in the best hands no matter what the situation is.
“I’ve said it before, I’m very happy to be in this organization and just do whatever they ask of me. I’m just excited to be here. Whether that be with the young guys or up here working hard, just setting an example guys can build on, trying to be a small cog in this organization going forward.”
(Top photo: Jamie Sabau / USA Today)
