Columbus Blue Jackets: Nick Kypreos vs. Josh Anderson?

Josh Anderson was demoted to play minutes on the fourth line for the Columbus Blue Jackets this past week, and rumors are swirling around Anderson’s happiness levels about the team.

Let’s get this out of the way before somebody takes this the wrong way: The Columbus Blue Jackets are not planning on trading Josh Anderson, and Josh Anderson is not requesting a trade away from Columbus.

There, now that’s out of the way and we can continue. Rumors were reported by Sportsnets Nick Kypreos that Josh Anderson was asking to be traded away from Columbus because of the demotion to the fourth line. It took Anderson’s agent, Darren Ferris, to deny Kypreos’ report. Anderson views this as, and I quote directly from Ferris “A coach trying to get a team and a player going”.

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Let us also mention that this demotion for Anderson is temporary. Anderson currently is tied for the most goals on the team with 3 and has been one of the Blue Jackets best players offensively early in this season, and that is not expected to change. He’s currently fourth on the team in points.

Anderson is only 24 years old, and for him to request a trade right now at the beginning of the season due to lack of playing time, is just absurd. Coming off of an injury ridden season, Kypreos’ report just doesn’t make sense.

Nick Kypreos has a history of making something out of nothing and getting everybody riled up. That is the job of Sportsnet analysts. Unless it is coming from Darren Dreger, Elliott Friedman or Bob McKenzie, it is almost a non-story.

Look for Anderson to move up from the 4th line soon as he’s too good of a player to keep down on the bottom line. With the forward and wing depth the Blue Jackets have, players are going to be shifting around a decent amount.

As many Jackets fans have said throughout the offseason, the Jackets have four first lines.  None of their lines are qualified as a designated “fourth line”