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Goalie nods: Andersen debuts for Leafs, healthy Allen goes for Blues

2016 NHL Awards - Red Carpet

LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 22: Frederik Andersen of the Toronto Maple Leafs attends the 2016 NHL Awards at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on June 22, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

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Toronto fans will get their first regular season look at their new No. 1 netminder on Wednesday, as Frederik Andersen starts in goal against Ottawa.

Andersen, acquired from Anaheim in June -- then immediately signed to a five-year, $25 million deal -- had a scare during the offseason, when he suffered an upper-body injury playing for his native Denmark in Olympic qualifying.

The ailment prevented him from playing for Team Europe at the World Cup, but did recover to play in three of the Leafs’ exhibition contests, allowing 11 goals on 68 shots faced.

The 27-year-old is expected to shoulder a heavy workload in Toronto this year, possibly surpassing the carer-high 53 starts he made with the Ducks in ’14-15.

For the Sens, Craig Anderson will get the start in goal.

Allen (leg) ready to face Chicago

There was a bit of concern out of St. Louis over the weekend when Jake Allen’s leg injury forced the Blues to recall Jordan Binnington from AHL Chicago.

But those concerns have been wiped away.

Allen, now the clear-cut starter after Brian Elliott was dealt to Calgary at the draft, is good to go for tonight’s season opener against the ‘Hawks, with Carter Hutton serving as the backup.

This promises to be a pivotal year for Allen. Armed with a new four-year, $17.4 million extension (that kicks in next season), the 26-year-old is primed to build upon his successful ’15-16 campaign, in which he started 44 times and finished with a .920 save percentage.

It’ll be a pivotal year for the Blues as well. It’s been a long time since the club’s had a clear-cut No. 1 -- in fact, you have to go all the way back to 2010-11 to find the last St. Louis netminder to start more than 50 games in a single season (that year, Jaroslav Halak got the nod 57 times).

For Chicago, no surprises tonight. Longtime starter Corey Crawford will be in goal.

Elsewhere...

-- Cam Talbot will be in goal for the Oilers as they play their first regular-season game at Rogers Place. He’ll be up against Elliott, who’s making his first regular-season start for the Flames.

-- Martin Jones, coming off a terrific Stanley Cup Final performance, will get the nod for San Jose. No confirmation from L.A. yet, but it’s expected Jonathan Quick will be in goal.