2021 Top 25 Under 25: Joey Anderson is #14

Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports Joey Anderson played a single NHL game last season. In it, he was +1, took a penalty, and played slightly under 10 minutes. That’s about all the hockey most of us saw him play as a member of the Maple Leafs organization.

Anderson recorded 18 NHL games in 2019/2020, and 34 more in 2018/2019, all with the New Jersey Devils. While the Leafs forward roster was always going to be harder to crack than New Jersey’s, Anderson was probably disappointed to only receive a single NHL game, even if that was always the likely outcome.

Anderson had a disadvantage in his fight for a tail-end roster spot, which was his waiver-exemption. He could be sent down to the Marlies…