from Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet,

I’m a big believer in the Lou Lamoriello, “If you have time, use it,” philosophy, so, when it comes to unsigned players, the next pressure point is the start of the season. That said, I’m surprised that Josh Anderson remains without a deal. Columbus went the extra mile to keep the edgy, rapidly improving forward from Vegas, and others.

It is believed, for example, that Colorado asked for him in Matt Duchene talks, only to be rejected. Word is the Jackets want a three-year term to protect against Anderson’s upcoming salary arbitration eligibility, but the two sides are nowhere close on value. Another source indicated Anderson used Tom Wilson as a comparable. The Washington forward signed for two years and $4 million, but that did not bridge the gap, either. Anderson’s agent, Darren Ferris, declined comment. This is a huge year for the Blue Jackets, too.

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