Anderson gaining respect in Florida -- and in the league
These days Craig Anderson can see the upside of having gone through the Rodney Dangerfield syndrome.
The good thing, of course, is that it didn't last long. Anderson's get-no-respect period stretched only over three weeks in early 2006 as the goalie was waived by three different teams and found his career at a crossroad. But it had an important impact on him at a time when Anderson wasn't necessarily questioning his future, just maybe wondering why it hadn't arrived as yet.
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| Craig Anderson owns a .940 save percentage. (Getty Images) |
"That (time) really changed my perspective on hockey," said Anderson about the chain of events that began when the Chicago Blackhawks tried to demote him in January 2006 and now has him among the NHL's leading goaltenders. "I think I really started to enjoy the game a lot more."
By then Anderson had already spent much of his pro career at the AHL level, beginning in 2001 just a few months after he was drafted by the Blackhawks. The native son did have a few cups of NHL coffee before the lockout, but his first real shot came when play resumed and high-profile free agent Nikolai Khabibulin was injured and he effectively blew it. Anderson appeared in 29 games that season for the Blackhawks and had 22 decisions, but won only six times. When he went through a five-game losing streak, the Blackhawks tried to send him down.
"If you get your opportunity and you're not ready for it, you go back, it's that simple," he said. "I wasn't playing well at the time. I lost confidence. The guys weren't playing well because they lost their confidence in me as well. I had to go back and revisit things and wait for the next opportunity.
"It just so happened that Boston picked me up."
That turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Anderson, then 25, a bubble age for goalies. But he never got to play for the Bruins. Boston was able to claim Anderson because he had to clear waivers before returning to the minors and was dealing with several goaltender injuries of its own. But Anderson turned out to be only a stopgap for the Bruins because they had also called up Tim Thomas, a free agent who has spent several years playing in Finland, and watched him take control of the job.
Anderson lasted only 10 days in Boston as a result, but he said he learned a lot watching Thomas, now a leading contender for the Vezina Trophy.
"Here's a guy who was 30 and had the opportunity to come back to the NHL and he came to the rink every day with a smile, having a great time, because he loved the game so much," Anderson said. "It made me think 'why am I coming to the rink pissed off about a loss. It's a great job and you should have fun playing hockey.'"
That seems to be the case for Anderson, whose economical style has allowed him to settle with the Panthers after being a self described rent-a-goalie. Anderson made a stop in St. Louis after being waived by Boston because the Blues needed a backup on the bench for one game and then 48 hours later was reclaimed by Chicago and sent to the minors, as initially intended. The Blackhawks traded him to the Panthers for a sixth-round pick at the draft that spring.
"I got a chance to tour the USA," Anderson said.
That chance might come again since Anderson's contract expires after this season, but this time it could be on his terms. Ticketed to be a backup once again this season, Anderson has all but usurped the starting job from veteran Tomas Vokoun, who is earning about $5.7 million this season, some 10 times what Anderson makes.
However, rookie coach Pete De Boer subscribes to the theory that performance, rather than paycheck size should determine ice time.
Anderson has earned his keep with some big time numbers, including the best save percentage in the league despite often facing more than 40 shots. The 27-year-old netminder has effectively become Florida's go-to guy since Thanksgiving, and his 5-2-1 record has helped the Panthers climb back into the race for a playoff spot that has eluded them since 2000.
"So much of it is getting that starter's mentality and being prepared to battle every night, but not be too tight," De Boer said. "He's learned how to play and how to handle the mentally. Craig's one of the primary reasons for our resurgence and the fact we're still in the mix despite all our injuries."
If Anderson continues, it should be worth big dollars to him next summer when free agency arrives. The goaltender has become a fan-favorite at home games, and is one of the most popular players in the dressing room, where in recent weeks several of his teammates have called him the Panthers' best player this season.
Still, Anderson doesn't want to get ahead of himself.
"The attention is coming because we're winning games," he said. "If I had the same statistics and five losses, we're not here having this conversation. The bottom line is when the team wins, everything goes well and individuals get rewarded for team play."
And gain some respect.
