NHL Trade Rumors: Best fits for Ottawa Senators’ Craig Anderson
By Jasmine Yen
The latest NHL trade rumors have Craig Anderson wanting to be traded from the Ottawa Senators. Which teams would be good fits for him?
The latest NHL trade rumors have goaltender Craig Anderson requesting to be traded from the tire fire that is the Ottawa Senators. He is coming off a horrible season, but interest in him will still be very high. The 15-year NHL veteran has been with Ottawa for the past eight seasons and has been a solid rock in net.
Last season appears to be a fluke. Anderson posted a .898 save percentage and 3.32 goals against average, but that was the first time his save percentage dipped below .911 since 2010 with Colorado. In 2016-17, Anderson dragged the Senators into the playoffs with a .926 save percentage in the regular season and had a .922 save percentage in the playoffs.
Goaltending is the most important position in hockey. Having a solid goaltender separates the good teams from the great. Here are five teams who would be interested in a goalie like Anderson.
1. Carolina Hurricanes
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Can we all just admit that Cam Ward has not been a good goalie since 2009? The Carolina Hurricanes have a great young team up front and the addition of a proven veteran like Anderson could propel them back into the playoffs for the first time in nine years.
2. Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are looking to redeem themselves after a disappointing 2017-2018 season. Cam Talbot is a great goalie, but playing over 70 games a season will burn anyone out.
Their search for a dependable backup has not turned up any good results (Al Montoya and Laurence Broissoit). Anderson would make a good tandem with Talbot to make sure that he doesn’t burn out again.
Besides, he is 37 years old so he won’t be looking to steal anybody’s starting position. Anderson’s $4.75 million cap hit, however, could be an issue.
3. New York Islanders
The New York Islanders need to address their goaltending. They missed out on Philipp Grubauer, who was the best option available. The Islanders could pursue Carter Hutton in free agency. Anderson would be a decent backup plan, especially if the Oilers aren’t interested in trading Talbot.
4. Dallas Stars
Their backup Kari Lehtonen is now an unrestricted free agent and it doesn’t seem like the Stars are interested in his services anymore. Craig Anderson would be a good backup for Ben Bishop and if Bishop goes down with injury again, Anderson is a reliable guy to step up for a while.
The Stars have been plagued with inconsistent goaltending. A tandem of Bishop and Anderson will be a welcome sight for Dallas fans.
5. Buffalo Sabres
Both Robin Lehner and Chad Johnson are free agents and the Sabres will be looking to replace them with more solid players. Craig Anderson alone will not solve all of Buffalo’s problems, but he’s a good start. He was a great locker room presence with Ottawa and will be a welcome sight for the Sabres. Anderson would be a good addition both on the ice and off.
There were also rumors around the Florida Panthers because his wife and two kids live there. The problem is, Pierre Dorion is strongly against in-division trades and the Panthers already have two goalies locked up for a long time in Roberto Luongo (five more seasons) and James Reimer (three more seasons).
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Anderson is 37 years old but he still has a lot of hockey left in him. He’s a reliable player in net and a great addition to any locker room.