Last night on Insider Trading Bob McKenzie talked about the Blue Jackets and Josh Anderson.

My contribution to this was outlining offers to stalemated RFAs Athanasiou (DET) and Anderson (CBJ): https://t.co/1tJm2J7rZm

— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) September 19, 2017

McKenzie revealed that the Blue Jackets have made Anderson a three year contract offer at less than the $1.9M per the Red Wings have offered Andres Athanasiou. McKenzie did not say what the exact number was. Personally I don’t see it being much less than $1.9M, I've always thought it would be around the $1.5M range. What was very interesting was McKenzie suggested that the Blue Jackets offer is take it or leave it. He said that Anderson’s only options are to take the deal or to accept the one year qualifying offer.

The qualifying offer is of no interest to Anderson. According to Cap Friendly Anderson’s base salary this past season was $700,000 so the qualifying offer is 105% of that, or $735,000. That is barely a pay raise and a one year does nothing to resolve the situation for Anderson, as he would still be an RFA with no arbitration rights and back in this same situation next summer.

...the players would still be RFA with no arb rights next year, so leverage point rests more with the clubs than the players.

— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) September 19, 2017

Anderson seems to want significantly more than what the Jackets are offering with three different people reporting a significant gap.

It can change quickly, of course. One phone call. But one word used this morning to describe the gap between #CBJ and Josh Anderson: “vast"

— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) September 14, 2017

Dreger: I checked in on Anderson/#CBJ situation "probably an hour or so ago, and I'm told they're not even close."

— Chris Nichols (@NicholsOnHockey) September 15, 2017

As for Josh Anderson in CBJ, who is also repped by Ferris, the two sides do not appear to be close at all. Frosty situation right now.

— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) September 18, 2017

On Twitter I had guessed that Anderson was looking for something along the lines of the Boone Jenner deal, which was a two-year deal at $2.9M per. Jenner signed his deal coming off of his entry level contract just like Anderson, but unlike Anderson, Jenner had established himself in the NHL playing 185 games over his ELC. Anderson on the other hand has played just 96 games. Those extra games matter a great deal and are why Jenner got the years and dollars he did. If Jenner had of signed a one-year deal he would have been arbitration eligible this summer and would have had a very strong arbitration case, by being an assistant captain and having a 30 goal season under his belt. The Jackets were able to avoid that by paying Jenner maybe more than they would have liked, but got an extra year on the deal.

Anderson, having played fewer games will not have those same arbitration rights next summer and thus is in an entirely different situation than Jenner. The Jackets have no reason to give in, they have all the leverage. As I've said before Anderson as a third line winger is a very replaceable player. The team has plenty of options they can turn to. Anderson has options as well, I’m sure he can easily find a team in Europe, plus of course the Olympics, he would be one of the better player available for Team Canada.

It doesn’t look like the two sides will be coming to an agreement anytime soon. This looks like it will continue to be a story all pre-season.

You can follow me on Twitter @PaulBerthelot

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