Andersen confident contract talks with Maple Leafs would possibly no longer be distraction
Frederik Andersen said there has been some of discussion about a contract extension with the Toronto Maple Leafs but vowed the difficulty is no longer going to distract him on the ice.
“I are trying no longer to contemplate about it certainly,” the goalie said Friday. “The primary level of curiosity has trusty been to transfer day-to-day here with the team, elevate our levels, the standards, and I agree with that’s all people. That’s trusty in actuality been the focus.
“I do know by doing that I’m going to gain the finest opportunities in due course. And this year is basically the primary level of curiosity.”
Andersen will play the final season of a 5-year contract he signed with Toronto on June 20, 2016, and would possibly turn into an unrestricted free agent after the season.
He modified into as soon as 29-13-7 in 52 video games closing season. His 2.85 dreams-in opposition to moderate modified into as soon as the ideal of his seven NHL seasons, and his .909 set percentage modified into as soon as the bottom. He modified into as soon as 2-3 with a 1.84 GAA and .936 set percentage in opposition to the Columbus Blue Jackets within the finest-of-5 Stanley Cup Qualifiers.
Andersen is fifth in wins (136), third in set percentage (.916; minimum 100 video games) and seventh in video games (244) among Maple Leafs goalies, but is 10-14 in 25 video games within the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Customary manager Kyle Dubas has no longer discussed Andersen’s contract tell this offseason. In October, he addressed reviews that emerged after the Maple Leafs had been eliminated by the Blue Jackets suggesting he modified into as soon as fielding change calls on Andersen.
“I do know the set the [Andersen] hypothesis began and springs from, and as a replace of tackle it publicly or be hostile about it, I trusty addressed it straight away with Fred,” Dubas said then. “So he and I believe had many discussions over the closing month or so about that. So he is aware of the set we stand straight away.”
Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe said he would no longer agree with Andersen’s contract tell will enact his play.
“Distractions are in actuality what you design of them,” Keefe said. “Or no longer it is a matter of distributing your level of curiosity, controlling what you are going to be in a region to withhold watch over. Whether or no longer it be your contract year or no longer, that is the message to our team: Block out the noise and level of curiosity on what we are capable of withhold watch over daily. That’s all that certainly matters.
“We don’t interrogate any distractions. That’s on us to withhold watch over that.”
Andersen modified into as soon as chosen by the Anaheim Ducks within the third spherical (No. 87) of the 2012 NHL Draft and is 213-92-45 with a 2.63 GAA and .917 set percentage in 369 NHL video games (358 starts). Toronto bought him in a change with Anaheim on June 20, 2016, for a first-spherical clutch within the 2016 NHL Draft (Sam Steel) and a 2d-spherical clutch within the 2017 NHL Draft (Max Comtois).