Anisimov was a solid player for the Rangers in his early years. He made the team in 2009 and played every game for over two years. In his first NHL season, he scored 12 goals and had 16 assists, totaling 28 points. His second year was even better, with him earning 44 points from 18 goals and 16 assists, ranking fifth on the team.
In the summer of 2012, Anisimov’s journey with the Rangers ended when he was traded to the Blue Jackets as part of a deal that brought Rick Nash to New York. His time in Columbus wasn’t as smooth; injuries were a problem, and his performance dipped compared to his time in New York. Yet, he managed to score a personal best of 22 goals during the 2013-14 season, helping Columbus make it to their second-ever playoff appearance.
Anisimov became an unrestricted free agent before the summer of 2015, signaling that Columbus wasn’t where he’d stay long-term. He moved to Chicago in exchange for Brandon Saad. Sadly for Anisimov , Chicago’s glory days were fading by then, so he never won a championship ring there. Still, he shone brightly in Chicago after signing a five-year deal worth $22.75 million—scoring at least 20 goals each season for three years and earning Selke Trophy votes in 2016.
Career Moves and Challenges:
After scoring 155 points over four seasons with Chicago, Anisimov was traded to Ottawa for Zack Smith but faced injury troubles that limited him to just 68 games across two seasons (2019-2021). Fans might think it’s sad how injuries can change everything so quickly.
Once becoming a free agent again in 2021, no NHL teams picked him up despite his efforts. He returned home to play one season with Lokomotiv before signing AHL contracts with affiliates of both Flyers and Rangers hoping for another shot at NHL—but it never happened.
Throughout his career spanning across different teams like Rangers (2009-12), Blue Jackets (2014), Blackhawks (2016-17), Anisimov played in total of 771 games scoring impressive numbers:180 goals plus196 assists summing up376 points! His postseason record includes17 points during43 games while earning nearly $37.5 million according CapWages reports.
What do you think about Anisimov’s career?
