Hurricanes’ Frederik Andersen returns for Game 1 versus Capitals

Frederik Andersen is ready to return to action.

After being sidelined for the series closer versus the New Jersey Devils, the Carolina Hurricanes veteran netminder will be back in the crease Tuesday when the club opens its second-round series versus the Washington Capitals, head coach Rod Brind’Amour confirmed per team reporter Walt Ruff.

Against the Devils, Andersen left midway through Game 4 after being bumped in the crease by Timo Meier. Backup goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov entered in relief, turning aside 14 of 15 shots en route to a 5-2 victory. The following contest, Kochetkov stopped 31 shots in a 5-4 double overtime victory to clinch the series win.

For Andersen, the 35-year-old Danish-born goaltender returns after closing out the first round with a league-leading .936 save percentage with a 1.59 goals-against average.

In missing the tail end of the opening round, it marked the latest absence for Andersen, who was sidelined for a 38-game span this season after undergoing knee surgery. Despite the missed time, Andersen still wrapped up the regular season with a winning record of 13-8-1 in which he posted an .899 save percentage, 2.50 goals-against average, and one shutout.

Since joining the Hurricanes in the 2021 offseason as an unrestricted free agent, Andersen’s time in Carolina has been a mix of impressive play and injury challenges. In his first season, Andersen missed the final six games of the regular season and the entire postseason due to a lower-body injury, while the following year he was out of the lineup for 29 games due to a similar ailment. Last season, Andersen was sidelined for 49 games due to a blood clot issue.

On Saturday, the Hurricanes signed Andersen to a one-year contract extension that carries a $2.75-million average annual average, plus an additional $750,000 in performance bonuses.

A veteran of 521 career contests with the Anaheim Ducks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Hurricanes, Andersen owns a 311-135-54 career record with a .915 save percentage, 2.55 goals-against average, and 28 shutouts.