Chicago Blackhawks sign Joey Anderson to one-year contract

The Chicago Blackhawks have inked forward Joey Anderson to a one-year contract. The deal is two-way and carries an NHL AAV of $800,000, according to Charlie Roumeliotis.

Anderson played for four different professional hockey teams in the 2022-23 season. He began the season as a depth forward in the Toronto Maple Leafs organisation, scoring two goals and three points in 14 NHL games for them. He also appeared in 30 AHL games for the Toronto Marlies, scoring 14 goals and 27 points as one of their top players.

Anderson was traded to the Blackhawks at the NHL trade deadline as part of a package that brought Jake McCabe and Sam Lafferty to Toronto for the playoff push. He played two games for the Rockford IceHogs in the AHL, scoring three assists. He also played 24 games in the NHL for the Blackhawks, scoring four goals and six points on a depleted roster. In five playoff games with the IceHogs, he scored two goals and three points.

The Roseville, Minnesota native was originally selected in the third-round of the 2016 NHL Draft by the New Jersey Devils. The draft pick that was used on Anderson was involved in a significant trade before it wound up in the Devils’ hands. It was used to allow the Senators to move up one spot in the draft to selected highly-touted center prospect Logan Brown, the Devils received the 12th pick which they used on Michael McLeod as well as the pick that Anderson was selected with.

Anderson has played for the Devils, Maple Leafs, and Blackhawks in his career but hasn’t quite been able to solidify his role on an NHL lineup. He has an opportunity to do so this year on a Blackhawks team that is deficient in skilled forwards. In 96 career NHL games, he has 14 goals and 22 points.