Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen is expected to miss at least two months because of knee surgery.
The Hurricanes announced Thursday that the 35-year-old netminder will have surgery Friday with a projected recovery time of eight to 12 weeks.
That comes roughly a week after coach Rod Brind’Amour said the team had originally hoped for Andersen to be week to week but was now facing a “way longer” timeframe with an unspecified injury.
Andersen hasn’t played since Oct. 26. Brind’Amour also said last week that Andersen’s absence has nothing to do with the blood-clotting condition that sidelined him for much of the regular season last year.
Andersen, 35, is 3-1-0 with a .941 save percentage and 1.48 goals-against average in four starts this season, his fourth campaign with Carolina and 12th in the NHL. His most recent start was on Oct. 26.
The two-time Jennings Trophy winner is 298-128-52 with 27 shutouts, a 2.55 GAA and .916 save percentage in 499 NHL regular-season games with the Anaheim Ducks (2013-16), Toronto Maple Leafs (2016-21) and Hurricanes.
Pyotr Kochetkov will continue handling primary duties in net for the Hurricanes with Spencer Martin as a backup.
Carolina won at Philadelphia on Wednesday night and visits New Jersey on Thursday in the middle of a three-game road swing.