“Josh is back.” Martin St-Louis made this statement after the Canadian’s 5-1 defeat against the Florida Panthers on Thursday.
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“Josh is regaining his identity, he had lost himself in the desire to score that goal (which didn’t happen). It will be difficult and difficult. But I think he’s past that stage. At some point you turn the page and get started. There he is.”
On Saturday morning, before the Red Wings’ visit to the Bell Center, St-Louis again drove home the point of positivism with Josh Anderson.
In that 5-4 overtime loss to the Wings, Anderson didn’t end his endless losing streak, but he did get the assist on Gustav Lindström’s third-period equalizer. He retrieved a loose puck into the slot and then spotted his teammate instead of turning around and attempting a shot. It was the right game.
For those who have the theory that the glass is half full, we will talk about a step in the right direction. But even though the glass is half empty, Anderson still hasn’t scored his first goal of the season.
After 24 games, the winger has zero in the goals column. This is his worst losing streak since his NHL debut. In the 2019-2020 season, his final season with the Blue Jackets, he failed to reach the goal in his final 21 games. However, this year he played despite a shoulder injury.
A question of precision
Anderson didn’t lose his talent as a goal scorer overnight. Bad luck explains this desert production, but it’s not just bad luck.
Based on expected goals, Anderson should have scored five goals (5.10) after 24 games. This time last year (December 3) he had scored just five goals, albeit in 22 games. After 24 games he had scored seven goals.
Photo AFP
On November 23 in San Jose, Anderson dissected some of his lethargy in the following way.
“I’m not happy with the way I’m placing the puck at the moment and the precision of my shots,” he explained. Throughout my career, I’ve always been good at hitting the targets I’m going for and putting the puck exactly where I want it. In this league it’s all about centimeters. On some of my chances to score, I couldn’t get the puck where I wanted and that’s enough to make the shot miss.
Anderson feels a bit like a baseball pitcher who can no longer hit the corners of the plate with his fastball.
Of all NHL forwards who have played at least 75 minutes this season, Anderson (0.21) ranks fourth among those with the best expected goals average without having scored a goal yet.
Ahead of him are Rickard Rakell (0.31), Nicklas Backstrom (0.26) and Jordan Martinook (0.22). The Penguins’ Rakell and the Capitals’ Backstrom are now sidelined with long-term injuries, while Martinook is still scoreless after 23 games. But Martinook is not a goalscorer like Anderson, who has a personal record of 15 goals (2018-2019).
Impressive statistics
Using Sportslogiq, The Journal compared Anderson’s advanced stats from this season to last year. There is an observation. All of his advanced offensive stats are down compared to last year (see table).
In terms of commitment, work and hard work, number 17 remains essentially the same player. Even if he wins a few more pucks back and wins a few more one-on-one battles.
Josh Anderson in numbers
(Average per game, all situations, rank among CH strikers and rank among NHL strikers)
Comparison between the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 seasons
Expected goals: 0.30 2. (73.) | 0.21 6th (198th)
Chances of scoring: 2.57 2. (66.) | 2.04e-3. (124.)
Shots from the slot: 1.64 2. (52.) | 1.38 2. (90.)
Shots from the bottom of the slot: 0.86 4. (54.) | 0.75 3rd (82nd)
Chances of entering the area: 0.80 4. (48.) | 0.54 5th (144th)
Offensive Cycle Odds: 0.84 3. (150.) | 0.58 7th (206th)
Forecheck chances: 0.32 1. (35.) | 0.17e-3e (197e)
Pucks won: 11.8 9th (224th) 12.0 5th (202nd)
Individual battles won: 1.42 10. (214.) | 1.67 e-6e (161.)