The Chicago Blackhawks have a great piece in Joey Anderson who will show up and work no matter what. This should eventually earn him everyday playing time, but it just may not come with the Blackhawks.
Don’t get me wrong, he should stay in the NHL and be with the team this entire season, but every player is looking for opportunity and Anderson proved that he can be a full-time NHLer in 2023-24.
Kyle Davidson added so much talent and competition to the Blackhawks this off-season that the opportunity Anderson got last season has quickly dwindled to what will probably be little, regardless of how well he played and how he showed up every night with a consistent game.
Anderson’s mentality going into every day as a professional hockey player is “Just be confident in my game and just the consistency of, on a bad night, you know what you’re getting. Even if you’re not feeling the best out there, you’re still in good spots defensively. Coaches know what they’re going to get out of you at a bare minimum. Then obviously you have those nights where you feel really good and you’re making plays, so just try to have as many of those nights as you can.”
The 26-year-old is under contract for two more years at $800,000 and played the most games in a season in his career with 55, but still split time between the NHL and AHL. He has played at both levels each of the past six seasons since leaving university.
It was a career year for Anderson, scoring five goals and 17 points to go along with seven goals and 16 points in 14 games for the Rockford IceHogs. He noted that “As far as last year, I think it’s just the confidence that I can play at this level and take that into this year.” He could most definitely handle himself and was great at playing on the defensive side of the puck.
As Anderson stated, no player is going to be on every night, but there are still things anyone can do consistently to make a difference, and he does that. He averaged over 13:30 of ice time per game last season, recorded nearly a hit-per-game, and was a +5 on a 31st place team that had 111 more goals against than goals scored.
When asked about his mindset, Anderson said, “Can’t make the team in one day and not one play is going to do it, so just continue to be the person and player they know I am. In the end, they’re going to make the decision on where they want me, whether that’s here or in Rockford, I show up, good attitude, do whatever I can to help the organization, and try to have some fun while we’re doing it.”
Related: Dach, Slaggert, & Guttman Lead Next Round of Cuts From Blackhawks Training Camp
While this is the exact type of player the Blackhawks should want in their organization, Anderson can most definitely be an everyday bottom-6 player in the NHL. There’s 32 teams and with his defensively responsible game mixed with the ability to chip in a bit offensively, he will find himself in a lineup every night sooner than later in his career.
He added that “My style of play doesn’t change, and it’s something that I think hopefully they know they’re going to get on a night-to-night basis no matter what, even if maybe the legs aren’t there, I’m fighting the puck a little bit, they know that these are staples in Joe’s game that we’re going to get every night.”
Anderson is in a roster/lineup battle with veterans like Pat Maroon and Craig Smith, but will also have to contend with Ryan Donato, Andreas Athanasiou, Frank Nazar, and while he’s still under contract, younger players like Landon Slaggert, Cole Guttman, and Colton Dach to name a few.
While it isn’t easy to score in the NHL, not every player can or has that role. The same goes for players who thrive defensively like Anderson. His role is in the bottom-6 in the NHL, but whether the Blackhawks utilize that or not remains to be seen.
Recent Blackhawks News
Blackhawks Experimenting With 2nd Line Center Role
Blackhawks’ Taylor Hall Wants to Get Right Back Into the Fire
Taylor Hall Gives Insight Into Blackhawks’ Power Play Units & Competition This Season
