Position: G First signed: 2009-2010 Initial salary: $1,812,500
A career backup before joining the Avalanche, Anderson didn’t sign with the team for the money. Instead, he opted for a chance to start.
His tenure in Colorado was short, not even lasting two full seasons, but the way in which he played in 2009-2010 alone is enough to get him on this list.
That season, his first in Colorado, Anderson put the Avalanche on his back and singlehandedly carried them to the playoffs. Sure, the team fell to the San Jose Sharks in seven games during the opening round, but Anderson almost single-handedly won that series, posting a .933 save percentage.
In Colorado, he established himself as a bonafide NHL starter. Sure, his second season wasn’t great, but I challenge you to find anybody who had more of an impact on the Avalanche in a single season than Anderson did in 2009-2010.
