TORONTO -- Frederik Andersen remains out because of a groin injury and won't dress for the Toronto Maple Leafs against the Minnesota Wild at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday (2 p.m. ET; SNO, FS-N, FS-WI, NHL.TV.).
The 29-year-old goalie did not practice Wednesday but did skate in full equipment and take shots prior to practice. He worked with goaltending coach Steve Briere and forward Zach Hyman, who remains out with an ankle injury sustained Dec. 18.
Andersen last played Dec. 22, when he made 25 saves in a 5-3 win against the New York Rangers. Coach Mike Babcock is unsure when Andersen will return.
"He didn't practice so obviously we're not going to see him tomorrow," Babcock said. "Then we have a practice day in between (before playing the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday). I don't know if he can practice one day and come [back]. He's practicing every day, he's on the ice and doing his thing.
"He's feeling pretty good but I don't ask him. When they tell me (he's ready), I'll know."
Andersen backed up Garret Sparks in a 5-4 overtime win against the Detroit Red Wings on Dec. 23 and in a 4-2 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Dec. 28 but did not dress against the New York Islanders the next night in a 4-0 loss. He missed one game earlier in the season, sitting out a 4-1 win against the Los Angeles Kings on Oct. 15 because of a knee injury.
Sparks, 25, will start his fourth straight game Thursday. He is 6-2-1 with a 3.01 goals-against average, a .905 save percentage and one shutout in 10 games.
Prior to playing the past four, Sparks last played Dec. 8, and Babcock said he understands how difficult it is for a young goalie to serve in a backup role and going long stretches between games. He's hoping Sparks will develop more confidence while seeing more playing time while Andersen is injured.
"To me it's a process. The backup goalie position is a hard position mentally," Babcock said. "You see a lot of veteran guys doing it; you don't see as many kids doing it because it's mentally hard. He's getting an opportunity right now to show what he has. I think that's what you're always hoping for, you're preparing in life for your opportunity, and when you get your opportunity you want to show that you're ready for that opportunity. That's the challenge. The hardest thing in professional sports is confidence, but you need it."
The Maple Leafs will have to recall a goaltender before playing Thursday. Alex Fotinos, a 24-year-old who plays for York University, was as the second goalie at practice Wednesday.
Kasimir Kaskisuo, 25, was called up from Toronto of the American Hockey League to back up Sparks on Saturday but was returned after the game. The Maple Leafs had traded for 28-year-old goalie Michael Hutchinson from the Florida Panthers on Saturday. Hutchinson was 1-1-2 with a 4.17 GAA and .839 save percentage in four games for Florida this season. He's 44-40-13 with a 2.70 GAA and .907 save percentage in 106 NHL games with the Panthers and Winnipeg Jets, but has spent much of the past two seasons in the AHL.
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