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Frederik Andersen couldn’t be more grateful to be back on the job.

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The Carolina Hurricanes goaltender has won all three of his starts since returning to the ice following a months-long recovery from deep-vein thrombosis and subsequent pulmonary embolisms. 

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“It was something I never dealt with before, brand-new for me, having to get through it and deal with that,” Andersen said on Saturday morning, hours before the Maple Leafs and Hurricanes met at Scotiabank Arena. “That was a very scary time dating back to when I got diagnosed. I’ve had really good support around me with the team and their doctors and family and friends and so it has been really heartwarming.”

Andersen felt pain in November and tests revealed the blood-clotting issue. He didn’t get back on the ice for full participation in practices until mid-February, and made his first start on March 7 against the Montreal Canadiens, making 24 saves in a 4-1 Hurricanes win.

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Andersen had not been in net since Nov. 2, when he took a loss in New York versus the Rangers.

With Carolina carrying three goalies, Andersen was not slated to start against the Leafs. Pyotr Kochetkov was the first goalie off the morning skate, an indication he would be in net versus Toronto. Spencer Martin also is with the Hurricanes.

During his five seasons with the Leafs before he signed with Carolina in free agency in 2021, we got to know Andersen as a levelheaded person who never wavered from staying on an even keel. That outlook on life in general helped him get through his recovery during the winter. 

“Taking it day by day was key,” Andersen, 34, said. “It sucks not being able to play for that long and having to deal with something new, but trusting the process and what the doctors helped me through was really big.

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“I tried not to get too ahead of myself and was happy that I was in a situation to still fight to get back and keep being around the team as much as possible.

“I treated it almost like the off-season since I was not on the ice for at least three months with the first part of the blood-thinners. I felt like I handled it well, taking it as it came, accepted the situation I was in and made the best of it.”

Andersen didn’t want to reveal too much about what comes next for him and how he deals with the potential of blood-clotting on a daily basis.

“I’m not going to go too deep into the future of it, but we have a good plan going,” Andersen said. “I’m happy about that and it has led me to a point where I can participate and get back on the ice.”

Said Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe: “Credit to him for staying with it. Great to see him back at it.”

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Andersen caught up with former Leafs teammates Auston Matthews and Morgan Rielly on Friday night. 

That Matthews has been flirting with a 70-goal pace brings further admiration from Andersen. 

“It’s crazy to say you’re not surprised about it, because he is such a good talent,” Andersen said. “He thinks the game in a really unique way in terms of scoring goals. He puts himself in good positions to get good shots off and I think he has a good plan of knowing where to shoot before he even gets the puck. I don’t think there is anyone who does it as good as him. It’s pretty special.”

tkoshan@postmedia.com

X: @koshtorontosun

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