The Idaho Steelheads and head coach and director of hockey operations Everett Sheen announced Wednesday that the club has received defenseman Matt Anderson from the Toledo Walleye in exchange for forward Denis Smirnov.
Anderson, 26, enters his fourth professional season after spending time last year in the ECHL and AHL. He collected 11 points (2-9-11) in 27 regular-season games for the Walleye, while recording 10 points (7-3-10) in 20 Kelly Cup Playoff games.
Anderson played one game with the AHL’s Utica Comets while tallying an assist in four games with the Toronto Marlies. During the 2023-24 campaign, the 6-foot, 195-pound left-shot blueliner finished second among Toledo defenders with 34 points (13-21-34) in 68 games. He notched nine points (3-6-9) in 14 Kelly Cup Playoff games.
Anderson also registered three assists in three games for the AHL’s Marlies. As a rookie in 2022-23, he finished third among South Carolina Stingrays defensemen with 28 points (6-22-28) in 57 games.
Prior to professional hockey, the Shakopee, Minn. native played five seasons at the University of Minnesota Duluth where he helped the Bulldogs capture back-to-back NCAA National Championships (2018, 2019) with fellow Steelhead, Jade Miller.
Anderson appeared in 181 career games accumulating 28 points (3-25-28). He played parts of two seasons in the United States Hockey League with the Green Bay Gamblers from 2016-17.