Craig Anderson was born on May 21, 1981, in Park Ridge, Illinois. Drafted in the third round by the Calgary Flames in 1999, he was unable to come to terms with the club and re-entered the draft in 2001, where he was selected by the Chicago Blackhawks.
After two seasons with Chicago, splitting time between the "Windy City" and their AHL affiliate in Norfolk, he was traded to the Florida Panthers in 2006.
In limited action for the Panthers, Anderson put up impressive numbers, including a 53-save, shutout win during the 2007-08 season.
Anderson signed a two-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche on July 1, 2009 and beat out Peter Budaj for the starting job.
His career in Colorado began in triumphant style. He was named the league's first star for the month of October 2009, his first month with the Avalanche.
Anderson's first season in Colorado was a good one. He set franchise records for games played as well as shots faced, while posting an impressive 2.63 goals against average and .917 save percentage. Little was expected from the Avalanche in the 2009-10 season, but led by Anderson's stellar play between the pipes, Colorado earned the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
In game three of the first round of the playoffs, Anderson recorded his first post-season shutout in remarkable fashion. He stopped all 51 shots he faced, blanking the San Jose Sharks. Only legends Patrick Roy and Dominic Hasek have stopped more shots in a playoff shutout performance.
The 2010-11 season was the polar opposite to the previous season for Anderson. His goals against average and save percentage were among the worst of his career and in the days leading up to the NHL trade deadline, with free agency looming in the summer, the goaltender was traded to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Brian Elliot on February 18, 2011.
Anderson would take over as the Senators' top goaltender and lead the club into the playoffs in his first full season with the club. Injuries would limit him to just 24 games during the 2012-13 season, but when healthy, Anderson performed well, posting a goals-against-average of just 1.69.
After an injury riddled 2014-15 season, Anderson would see action in 60 games for the Senators in 2015-16. He recorded 31 wins and a 2.78 goals-against-average and a .916 save percentage.
The 2016-17 season would be a difficult one for Anderson and his family. On the ice he posted a 25-11-4 record with a 2.28 goals-against-average and .926 save percentage, but Anderson was forced to leave the Senators on several occasions to be with his wife who was battling a rare form of cancer. For his perseverance and dedication to the game Anderson was awarded the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy at season's end.
