Solid Andersen working without a net
There’s a sharpness to Frederik Andersen’s game that has the Maple Leafs appreciating their No. 1 goalie.
“We’re always so confident with him back there,” said veteran centre Tyler Bozak. “He’s so unbelievable. He showed that in camp so far. We expect nothing but great things from him, and he delivers every night.
“He’s a fun guy to play in front of, and he gives you a lot of confidence.”
Andersen stopped 17 of 18 shots in Saturday’s exhibition win in Buffalo, and 35 of 38 overall (a .921 save percentage) in parts of two games so far. His goals-against average is 2.25 — a small sample size to be sure, but reason to feel optimistic.
“I’m starting to feel really good out there, even though we didn’t give up a lot of chances,” Andersen said after the win in Buffalo. “I feel real good moving around. I felt (I was) on the puck all the time.”
Halfway through the pre-season, the Maple Leafs are 2-2-0 while using a significant number of players destined for the minors. Cuts are coming.
Some time following Monday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens at Ricoh Coliseum and Tuesday’s scheduled practice, several players will be sent packing, most to the Marlies’ camp.
There are only a handful of jobs up for grabs, and Leafs coach Mike Babcock says it’s time for his core players, including Andersen, to make sure they’re in game shape for Oct. 4, when the Leafs open the regular season in Winnipeg against Patrik Laine and the Jets.
Pre-season games may not always be things of beauty, but they remain the best way to build confidence and chemistry.
“It’s huge,” said Bozak. “Whenever you have confidence, you play better. (Pre-season) is a good time to build confidence. You want to play well whenever. It doesn’t mean as much as it does in the regular season, but it’s good to get your feet going, and feel the puck and gain that confidence.”
Confidence may be most important for goaltenders, whose performance often mirrors that of the team in front of him. So pre-season games, even ones that feature a large number of minor leaguers, are important building blocks.
“It’s really about going out there and competing and everyone working, getting where you want to be, whether it’s trying to get a job or a spot on the roster, or getting ready for the season,” said Bozak. “Everyone is out there trying to compete. That’s what they’re good for.”
Andersen, acquired in a trade with the Anaheim Ducks, missed a lot of the pre-season last year while recovering from a concussion. He’s more advanced this time simply because he’s gotten to play more.
“You don’t want to sit out,” said Andersen. “Game action is good for making decision on different saves.”
The Maple Leafs aren’t exactly deep in goaltending. Journeyman Curtis McElhinney is the backup, and none in the system are deemed capable of carrying the load over the long haul if Andersen gets hurt.
So, Andersen looms large once again in whatever success the Maple Leafs will have this season. When he struggled out of the gate last year, so did the Leafs. And when he played well, winning results followed.
“He’s in way better shape,” Babcock said of Andersen. “Also, last year he came in after being injured and was trying to play catch-up. And he came into a new environment, with you guys (media) around every day, which he isn’t used to. That made a little difference. Once he got traction, he was pretty good. We’re looking for a good year out of him.”