Carolina Hurricanes rumors: Veteran goaltender headed towards UFA market

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Freddy Andersen's future seems uncertain as he heads toward unrestricted free agency.

In a tweet by Pierre LeBrun, a respected hockey insider and columnist, it was suggested that Andersen is likely to explore opportunities on the open market. While the door is not entirely closed on Carolina, it appears that his time with the Hurricanes may be coming to an end.

Pierre LeBrun tweeted:

"Not that the door is closed on Carolina, but it sounds like Freddy Andersen is headed to the UFA market. Pittsburgh could be an option depending on what happens with Tristan Jarry."

This development comes as a surprise, considering Carolina Hurricanes General Manager Don Waddell's confidence in retaining Andersen and his goaltending partner, Antti Raanta. However, circumstances might have changed, prompting Andersen to consider other options and test the waters of free agency.

Dan Rosen tweeted on the subject:

"Hurricanes GM Don Waddell was confident about bringing back Andersen and Antti Raanta when we spoke earlier this week. Maybe something changed. Maybe Andersen wants to see what else is out there for him. If he leaves, Carolina could still go with Raanta and Pyotr Kochetkov."

If Andersen decides to leave Carolina, it leaves the Hurricanes with the option of relying on Antti Raanta and Pyotr Kochetkov in the goaltending department. While Raanta has proven himself as a capable netminder, the Hurricanes might need to explore other avenues to solidify their goaltending situation.

Freddy Andersen's stats with the Carolina Hurricanes

Freddy Andersen has had a successful career in the NHL, previously playing for the Anaheim Ducks and Toronto Maple Leafs. He has also represented Denmark at the international level, competing in the 2010 IIHF World Championship.

Known for his solid goaltending skills and ability to make key saves, Andersen has been a reliable presence between the pipes for the teams he has played for.

In the 2022-2023 regular season, Andersen played in 34 games for the Carolina Hurricanes, starting 33 of them. He secured 21 wins while suffering 11 losses.

Looking at his overall playoff career, Andersen has played in 62 games, winning 32 and accumulating 26 losses. He has recorded a goals-against average of 2.44 and a save percentage of .917. Throughout his playoff career, he has made a total of 1,871 saves.