Hurricanes’ Frederik Andersen expected to miss eight weeks due to knee surgery

According to a report from TSN’s Pierre LeBrun, the Carolina Hurricanes will be without Frederik Andersen for the next eight weeks as the veteran goaltender is expected to undergo knee surgery.

Andersen has already missed the Hurricanes’ past 11 games with the lower-body injury. In all, the 35-year-old Danish-born netminder has been limited to four appearances on the season, in which he has posted a 3-1-0 record alongside a .941 save percentage and 1.48 goals-against average.

Now in his fourth season with the Hurricanes, Andersen has battled injuries throughout his time in Carolina. Andersen missed 49 games last season due to a blood clot concern, while in 2022-23 he was limited to 34 contests due to a lower-body ailment. In 2021-22, Andersen impressed in his first campaign with the Hurricanes, winning 35 of 52 games while finishing amongst the league leaders with a .922 save percentage and 2.17 goals-against average. However, Andersen then missed the final six games of the regular season and the entirety of the Stanley Cup Playoffs due to a lower-body injury.

Per PuckPedia, Andersen carries a $3.4-million annual average value and can become an unrestricted free agent next July.

In Andersen’s absence, the Hurricanes have turned to 25-year-old Russian netminder Pyotr Kochetkov who through 12 appearances owns a 10-2-0 record with a .907 save percentage and 2.30 goals-against average. Carolina also has journeyman goaltender Spencer Martin, now in his second season with the club. On Saturday, the 29-year-old turned aside all 24 shots versus the Ottawa Senators en route to a 4-0 victory and his first career shutout.

Currently riding a three-game win streak, the Hurricanes sit atop the Eastern Conference with a 14-4-0 record and 28 points. The club will look to push its win streak to four when it retakes the ice Thursday versus the New Jersey Devils.