"That's been my goal from Day 1," he said. "You want to be a top-six forward in the NHL, no matter who you are. Getting opportunities to play in the top six is very important, but once you get that opportunity, you've got to rise to the occasion. That's what I'm trying to do."

More often than not, the Blue Jackets gain a good scoring chance out of it, which is a huge reason he leads Columbus with 10 goals through 27 games. Simply put, Anderson is becoming a force in the NHL in just his second full season.

If the 6-foot-3, 221-pound forward gets it in the defensive or neutral zone, he usually jets off toward the other end with a long stride and rate of speed that takes many defenders by surprise. If he scoops it in the offensive zone, Anderson either takes it hard to the net, looks for a lane to shoot or dishes off to an open teammate.

There's a loose puck somewhere, Josh Anderson's in the vicinity, and before you know it, he's got it on the blade of his stick.

Video: CAR@CBJ: Anderson pots Dubois' slick one-handed feed

NOT A FLUKE

That's what he's done, actually.

There's not much "trying" about it at this point. Anderson is no fluke. He's simply a guy you need to watch now, whenever he goes over the boards.

He's a big, fast, skilled power forward in the truest sense of the term, even though he's still flying beneath the radar of many who follow the league. That won't last much longer if he keeps going the way he's started this season.

Anderson is already past the halfway mark to matching his 17 goals from last season, with nearly 75 percent of the schedule still to be played. His ice time is up about five minutes a game, after averaging 12:01 last season, and he's become key cog in the Jackets' top line - which has dominated the past two weeks.

"I think he's an awesome player," said Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski, who's drawn his own accolades since entering the league last season. "He's one of the guys on our team who's brought it every single night. He's having a huge year for us, so I think moving forward [people] are going to start knowing who he is a lot more, and I don't expect him to slow down at all, either."

Neither does John Tortorella, the Blue Jackets' coach.

It still bothers Tortorella that Anderson sat out the preseason with a contract issue, but he doles out credit where it's due because it's been earned.

"Last year, he was getting 12 to 13 minutes [a game]," Tortorella said. "He has demanded more ice time just by his play this year. The mental part of the game, I just think he feels he's a better player and isn't just playing the game to try and stay in the lineup. He's playing the game to make a difference, and he's certainly done that from the get-go this year."

Looking down the road, the coach in Tortorella can't help but wonder what else Anderson can do - this season, next or the ones that follow.

"To me, from a coach's point of view, as coaches think, imagine if he had a [training] camp," Tortorella said. "Maybe there's another level. There is another level. I think he's going to get there. Maybe he gets there quicker if he was in camp, but he's handled himself well."

Video: Anderson got the Kepi after his game-winning goal

QUITE A JOURNEY

Putting that into perspective, just how well Anderson has handled himself, requires a couple steps backward to see the larger picture.

This is a guy who did, indeed, miss an entire NHL training camp and every preseason game.

He didn't sign his new contract until days before the regular season, started out with the Cleveland Monsters on a conditioning assignment and didn't play for Columbus until the third game, on the road Oct. 10 against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Anderson logged 13:39 in that game. He had one shot, no points and played right wing on the third line in the Blue Jackets' 2-1 overtime win. Four days later, at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn., he scored his first goal - which was the first of multiple clutch goals he's already netted.

Anderson's goal tied a game against the Minnesota Wild, 4-4, late in the third period. It set the stage for Alexander Wennberg to win the game in overtime.

"I just wanted to play a bigger role than I did last season," Anderson said. "Last year was my first year in the league, playing maybe 11 or 12 minutes a night. I wanted to come in this year and be that key guy, maybe that go-to guy who, when you need a goal or need somebody to step up … I want to be that guy."

He is that guy. He's become that guy. He's also still growing into that guy, and that's a scary thought for the rest of the NHL.

Video: CGY@CBJ: Foligno sets up Anderson for overtime winner

'WHAT WAS I THINKING?'

Anderson has stepped up for the Blue Jackets this season, and not just with his offensive prowess. He's used size, speed and strength, too, not to mention his fists.

Anderson has already racked up a season's worth of big moments, with three game-winners and two overtime goals, all scored at Nationwide Arena. Ranking high on his personal list of his accomplishments, however, is the time he squared off in a fight with a true heavyweight.

Early in the second period of the Jackets' 4-3 shootout win against the Boston Bruins on Oct. 30 at Nationwide Arena, Anderson accepted an invitation to dance from towering defenseman Zdeno Chara, a 6-foot-9, 250-pound veteran who'd been in 65 previous NHL scraps.

Columbus made it a point to be physical with Chara in first period, and the Jackets' forecheckers put multiple hits on the 40-year old blue-liner, after dumping pucks into his corner.

Anderson was among the forecheckers, so when presented with an opportunity, Chara smashed him headfirst into the end boards early in the second.

"I was going in on the forecheck, first guy in, and I didn't realize he was behind me," Anderson said. "He kind of shoved me from behind, and I went into the boards awkwardly. So, I turned around, and … I didn't really care who it was. I just looked at him, and he looked at me and said, 'You want it?' And I said, 'yeah,' no hesitation."

Before he knew it, the gloves were off. Reality hit Anderson square in the face, before Chara even threw a punch.

"I came around the net, and when I dropped my gloves, I think that's when I finally realized, you know, 'What was I thinking?'" Anderson said.

His nose was bloodied at some point during the incident, possibly from hitting the glass headfirst, but Anderson held his own in the fight - despite giving away six inches in height, 29 pounds and quite a bit in reach.

He even managed to land an overhand right toward the end of it, which made scoring the scrap difficult for the 241 voters who "judged" it on Hockeyfights.com. Chara got 43.2 percent of the votes, Anderson got 42.7 percent and 14.1 percent called it a draw.

"I'm still getting messages from friends and family, asking what I was thinking, and they've got a pretty cool picture that I've been signing lately," Anderson said, smiling. "I'll have to get one for Chara to sign, so I can put it in my basement or something like that."

Video: CBJ@NYR: Anderson blasts one home from the wing

RARE BREED

It was his first scrap of the season, but not his first battle.

That happened as the Blue Jackets went through training camp without him. Anderson tried to block the whole thing out, but that was impossible.

"It's not fun watching your teammates go to work every single day, and you're just at home, not being with them," Anderson said. "That was definitely the toughest part of the process."

The workouts he went through on his own were a close second.

"Obviously, it's not a good look when you're sitting out there, so you want to be in great shape and show them you are ready, and that you are serious," Anderson said. "That's what I tried to do. I tried to be in the best shape I could be when I got here, because I knew the games were going to start right away. I had to be in good shape, and get off to a good start."

He accomplished that goal, and kept it rolling - transforming himself into a rare breed of power forward who can do it all.

"I don't think I've seen a player in a while with that much speed, and the physicality, even fighting … and then his goal-scoring," said Jackets defenseman Seth Jones. "I think he's been our best player so far this year, consistently, so we need him to keep doing what he's doing. He needs to be that player for us, not for 25 or 30 games, but for years to come."