Mar 29, 2017
Andersen closing in on return to Leafs
The Toronto starter expected to play Thursday against the Nashville Predators.
Goaltender Frederik Andersen’s return to the Toronto Maple Leafs looks imminent.
Toronto’s starter suffered an upper-body injury on Saturday against the Buffalo Sabres and missed Tuesday’s game against the Florida Panthers, giving Curtis McElhinney his second start in three games.
Andersen wasn’t projected to be sidelined long and is primed to make his return to the crease on Thursday against the Nashville Predators. The Maple Leafs returned Garret Sparks, who had been recalled to back-up McElhinney, to the Toronto Marlies on Wednesday afternoon.
“I look pretty ready to go. Felt good today,” Andersen said after spending about 30 minutes on the ice at Toronto’s optional practice on Wednesday. “We’ll see [what’s said] on the plane [to Nashville], but looking pretty positive and I feel ready to go.”
Andersen hasn’t missed much scheduled time on the ice because of the injury, participating in a one-on-one session with goalie coach Steve Briere on Monday and then taking shots for about 20 minutes in the ensuing practice.
He did another solo session with Briere before Tuesday’s morning skate, and then spent 10 minutes facing shots again from the team.
“We work hard on the ice and make sure I [stay] up to speed,” Andersen said. “[There’s] progress, but you have to keep working hard and once you feel you’re ready, you can [get back]. I haven’t really been off the ice too much so that’s a good sign. The more you can keep your regular schedule and regime, you want to.”
Coach Mike Babcock didn’t feel any great sense of relief over Andersen’s probable return, as the team never anticipated he’d be sidelined for long.
“You can’t play the guy when he’s not ready, so we had to wait until he was ready and he’s ready,” Babcock said. “He practised the whole time. We didn’t think it was a big deal, but obviously when he’s not playing it’s a big deal and [McElhinney] did a good job for us.”