Whether Thursday’s game against Ottawa is his last in the NHL or not, he’s done things his way and guided others along the way.
BUFFALO — Craig Anderson is starting a game Thursday night like he has 620 previous times throughout his 20 years in the NHL and just like those other games, he’s going about it the same way he always has. At 41 years old, everything points toward this game being the last game in his career.
Trying to present the idea it may just be the end of a long, fantastic career is one he’s not he’s eager to share. Not with us media wonks, anyway.
“I think you’re putting words in people’s mouths there,” Anderson said with a laugh when asked if this was indeed his final game. “Who knows, I’ve been very fortunate to play this game for a very long time. I’m just going to enjoy every last bit of it. The last few years have been on borrowed life support here. Just kind of take the moment as it is and enjoy it because when it’s over its over. It’s not looking too far forward and just trying to stay in the moment.”
Trying to read too much into what he’s saying is probably unwise because if there’s any chance you’re trying to tell him he can’t do something, he’ll show you he can. He’s built his career off of showing teams that when they’ve given up on him be it through waivers or not re-signing him or trading him, he would come back better than he was before.
The “I’ll show you” way to live might be stressful, but it’s deeply motivating. After all, if you can’t believe in yourself, who else will? But part of this journey for Anderson going from being drafted first by Calgary in 1999 and later again in 2001 by Chicago, through seasons with the Blackhawks, Florida Panthers, Colorado Avalanche, Ottawa Senators, Washington Capitals and now the Sabres has been to keep everything on an even keel and to avoid riding the roller coaster of emotions and challenges life throws at you. Life, career, game-to-game moments, minute-to-minute moments on the ice. Staying level.
When asking players for one word to describe Anderson, his teammates both past and present, offer different views about the kind of player and person he is.
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“Old,” Sabres captain Kyle Okposo deadpanned before cracking a laugh. It’s just the way Anderson would say it himself and as the second oldest guy on the team, Okposo can make that joke. After having a laugh, though, the captain gave it some deep thought.
“Perspective,” Okposo said. “I think he has a very unique perspective. If he tells a tale of his career—the arcs and what he’s learned, what he’s gone through individually and what he’s gone through as a family—he’s got a very great perspective on life, on how to act, on how to go through a career.”
It’s that perspective that’s made Anderson so valuable to the Sabres these past two seasons, particularly this one in which Buffalo brought along three other goalies, one somewhat veteran and two rookies. Not a lot of goalies late in their careers might be amenable to such a position. After all, every goalie wants to play and help the team win, but at Anderson’s age the Sabres were very mindful of the rest and preparation time he needed to be at his best.
Having Anderson play the role of mentor for Eric Comrie, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Devon Levi was something he embraced. It’s competition, but it’s also about providing the lessons learned through a long and successful career and he’s enjoyed that role immensely and relished in it.
“I think there’s obviously writing on the wall,” Anderson said. “There’s some facts that you just can’t get around as far as when you get older. You have to adapt and adjust. There’s one thing that I have that these guys don’t and that’s experience. These guys are youthful, they move much better. They’re much stronger, they’re more flexible. They play the game much quicker and faster than I do. But the only thing that I’ve got is experience.
“If I can share some of my knowledge with these guys and help them get along to not make the same mistakes or limit the amount of mistakes they make throughout their season, I felt like I’ve contributed. Being a part of something that’s bigger than yourself always makes you feel good about the group and about what your purpose is.”
Anderson’s purpose Thursday night is to go out and stop as many Ottawa Senators shots as possible and earn the Sabres a win that would give them 89 points and tie them for the most points they’ve had since the 2011-2012 season. It’s what the job calls for, just like how being a professional athlete means being a good teammate and one of the guys.
“Awesome, he’s an awesome guy,” Senators forward Drake Batherson said. He was
“I just remember, for example, it was Valentine’s Day, and I couldn’t get a reservation anywhere and he got me one last minute at a spot. He didn’t have to do that. Just stuff he would always do for the young guys. He was so good to me, he was just such an awesome teammate.”
Batherson was 20 years old during the 2018-19 and ‘19-’20 seasons as Anderson’s teammate in Ottawa. Seeing him do little things like that helped show him what it’s like to be a professional and a great teammate.
“He at that point had been in Ottawa for10 years and he’d already had a long and great career,” Batherson said. “For him to take the time out and just be awesome to me—go out to dinner after games and stuff like that, take care of the bill, too—it was awesome. He didn’t have to do that but that’s just the type of guy he was.”
Creating those bonds and being a classic “one of the guys” can take you a long way in a tightly knit league like the NHL. It’s setting an example without actively being a teacher about it that makes him so well-liked.
“Even the last couple years when we play against each other we’re always talking. He uses my sticks in the summer because he plays defense in the summer league. We’re always talking about cars and how his family’s doing. He’s a close friend and he was an awesome teammate when we played together.”
When it’s talked about Anderson’s importance to such a young group like the Sabres have, being who he is leans into the culture they’re trying to create in Buffalo. Having a good guy who’s worked hard throughout a long career, shares what he’s learned and takes care of his teammates is about as good as it gets.
“I think it is a reality. You either have to adapt or you’re no longer useful,” Anderson said. “I recognized what my role was. When you’re called upon, make sure you’re ready to go and be the best version that you could possibly be. At the end of the day, this is a great team to be a part of. To come to work every day, it’s not work. It’s coming to hang with the boys. You leave here smiling every day. That’s not something I can say about all my years in the league. I think that’s a credit to the organization, staring with Kevyn all the way down to Donny and the assistant coaches. Making sure that the guys are out here having fun and making sure we’re enjoying each other.”