Josh Anderson (ice hockey)
Power forward known as 'the Powerhorse' for speed and physicality.
Josh Anderson (born May 7, 1994) is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). A power forward recognized for his speed and physical style, he earned the nickname "the Powerhorse" after joining Montreal. He was drafted in the fourth round, 95th overall, by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2012 NHL entry draft.
Anderson grew up in Burlington, Ontario, playing both baseball and hockey. After being passed over in the 2010 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Priority Selection draft—something he expected due to being undersized at 16—he played midget hockey for the Burlington Eagles of the South-Central Triple A Hockey League (SCTA). He later caught the attention of the London Knights, who invited him to try out, and he secured a roster spot with the Knights starting in the 2011–12 season.
Drafted by Columbus in 2012, Anderson signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Blue Jackets in November 2013 during his final major junior season with London. He made his NHL debut on January 16, 2015, against the New York Rangers. During the 2015–16 season, he underwent surgery for a small orbital fracture suffered in a preseason game, missing up to four weeks. He scored his first NHL goal on January 9, 2016, against Cam Ward of the Carolina Hurricanes, then was sent to the American Hockey League (AHL), where he helped the Columbus affiliate Cleveland Monsters win the 2016 Calder Cup championship.
In the 2017–18 season, Anderson injured his knee against the Washington Capitals and was sidelined for four weeks. The following season was a breakout: he played all 82 games, set a career high with 47 points, and helped the Blue Jackets reach the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in franchise history. During the 2019–20 season, his offense slowed to 1 goal and 4 points in 26 games before he suffered a posterior labral tear in his left shoulder against the Ottawa Senators on December 14, 2019. After rehabilitation failed, he underwent season-ending shoulder surgery on March 2, 2020, with a recovery timeline of 4–6 months.
On October 6, 2020, Anderson was traded to the Montreal Canadiens for Max Domi and a third-round pick in the 2020 NHL entry draft. Two days later, he signed a seven-year, $38.5 million contract extension.
- Born
- May 7, 1994
- Birthplace
- Burlington, Ontario
- Drafted
- Fourth round, 95th overall, 2012 NHL entry draft by Columbus Blue Jackets
- Nhl debut
- January 16, 2015 against New York Rangers
- First nhl goal
- January 9, 2016 against Cam Ward of Carolina Hurricanes
- Career high points
- 47 points (2018–19 season)
- Current team
- Montreal Canadiens
Lore & Background
Anderson grew up in Burlington, Ontario, playing both baseball and hockey. He was passed over in the 2010 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection draft due to being undersized, returning to midget hockey with the Burlington Eagles. He later secured a roster spot with the London Knights beginning in the 2011–12 season after attracting their attention. Selected by Columbus in the 2012 draft, he signed a three-year entry-level contract in November 2013 and made his NHL debut in January 2015. During the 2015–16 season, he underwent surgery for an orbital fracture but scored his first NHL goal in January 2016 and helped the Cleveland Monsters win the Calder Cup that year. After a breakout 2018–19 season with 47 points, he suffered a posterior labral tear in his left shoulder in December 2019, requiring season-ending surgery in March 2020.
Reader's Guide
Anderson was traded to the Montreal Canadiens on October 6, 2020, in exchange for Max Domi and a third-round pick, signing a seven-year, $38.5 million contract extension two days later. Teammate Tomáš Tatar dubbed him a 'powerhorse,' a nickname that quickly spread. He recorded 17 goals and 7 assists in the pandemic-shortened 2020–21 season and delivered notable playoff performances, including a two-goal game in the semifinals against Vegas and an overtime winner in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals against Tampa Bay. In the 2021–22 season, he scored his first career hat-trick on March 1, 2022, and later played on a line with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield under new coach Martin St-Louis. After a 27-game goalless streak in 2023–24, he ended it with an empty-net goal on December 4, 2024, and was named the Canadiens' player of the month. For the 2024–25 season, he shifted to a bottom-six role with an emphasis on penalty-killing, recording his 100th career assist and 600th NHL game, and received the Jacques Beauchamp Molson Trophy. In the 2025–26 season, he had 14 goals and 9 assists in 72 games as the Canadiens reached the Eastern Conference Final.
Did You Know?
- Anderson was passed over in the 2010 OHL Priority Selection draft due to being undersized.
- Anderson scored a hat-trick on March 1, 2022, in an 8–4 loss to the Winnipeg Jets.
- He won a silver medal with Canada at the 2022 IIHF World Championship.
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