Which McElhinney do Leafs get for biggest start(s) of his life?

Morgan Rielly and Auston Matthews discuss whether or not the mindset changes if it’s Frederik Andersen or Curtis McElhinney patrolling the Maple Leafs nets.

Tuesday’s game versus the Florida Panthers will be the biggest start of Curtis McElhinney‘s life.

This arrives on the heels of the biggest start of the Toronto Maple Leafs backup’s life, and will likely precede the biggest start of his life on Thursday in Nashville.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever been in this situation, in terms of being in a playoff race [and] playing the majority of the games,” McElhinney told Toronto reporters Monday. “The Jersey game [a 4-2 McElhinney win] was the same thing. It was a critical game, and we were looking to add points.

“For me, it’ll be business as usual.”

The question nagging at Leafs Nation is, which usual McElhinney will be between the pipes from now until Lou only knows?

The one who’s provided capable support for Frederik Andersen since being snatched off waivers from the Columbus Blue Jackets in January? Or the one who showed cracks while pitching some long-term relief in Columbus the past two seasons?

[relatedlinks]

Granted, we don’t have a clue how long Andersen will be sidelined. He practised again Tuesday, but a suspected neck/shoulder/head/jaw injury can be tricky to diagnose and recover from. (Asked earlier this year about another injured player, Leafs coach Mike Babcock quipped that we all know “day to day” means 10 days.)

So we looked at the last three times McElhinney, a 33-year-old journeyman backup, was called upon for starter’s duties for significant stretches of time.

In November 2014, he spelled Columbus star Sergei Bobrovsky for seven games over 17 days. He went 1-5-1 with a .887 save percentage.

Relied on heavily again for 16-game stretch in January and February of 2015, he was better: 7-8-1 with a .923 save percentage.

In 2015-16, McElhinney’s most recent starter stint was shaky. He posted an .870 save percentage and 3-4-2 in December 2015.

To be fair, that edition of the Blue Jackets had recently fired its head coach and had sunk to an expected low. Roughly a year later, McElhinney was waived in favour of the Jackets’ AHL prospects.

Toronto doesn’t have a Scott Darling or Antti Raanta, we know this. But McElhinney has been a solid No. 2, posting a .919 save percentage and scooping four wins exclusively in back-to-backs and mop-up work since arriving in town.

If he’s just OK, the Leafs’ playoff hopes could be too.

“He’s so professional. He cares about his body a lot, cares about his teammates a lot. It’s not easy job when you play two, three times in a month and you have to show a big result. You don’t have room for mistakes,” the Vezina-favoured Bobrovsky told us recently of his friend.

“You don’t feel the rhythm of the game. They throw you in the war, and you have to survive.”

McElhinney’s Leafs must survive eight more games with the charged-up Tampa Bay Lightning — winners of three straight — now just two points behind (Toronto has a game in hand).

The good news, as McElhinney goes for career victory No. 50 Tuesday versus former Leaf James Reimer, is that he’ll catch a tired Panthers group, who lost Monday in Buffalo and whose offence ranks just 22nd overall.

Also, McElhinney has been nice at home this season: 3-1-1, 2.56 goals-against average, .927 save percentage.

The goalie described this as a “tremendous opportunity” for himself, and tonight, especially, is a biggie.

Thursday the Leafs head to Nashville to face the seventh-best offence and one of the hottest first lines in hockey. Saturday in Detroit against the lottery-bound Red Wings (and the fifth-worst offence) is another one the Leafs should have. Then it’s Monday in Buffalo, where the Leafs have struggled, and back at home to the frightening Capitals next Tuesday.

Garret Sparks has been brought up from the Toronto Marlies on an emergency basis and will back up McElhinney Tuesday. Sparks has been fantastic in the AHL this season, going 18-7-0 with an .927 save percentage.

All the pressure is on McElhinney, and his teammates to help him out.

“For us, it doesn’t change the mindset going into it, whether it’s Freddie in net or Mac,” Auston Matthews told reporters Tuesday.

“Freddie’s been a big part of our success this season, but injuries happen. You’ve gotta move on without guys, and other guys need to step up.”

When submitting content, please abide by our submission guidelines, and avoid posting profanity, personal attacks or harassment. Should you violate our submissions guidelines, we reserve the right to remove your comments and block your account. Sportsnet reserves the right to close a story’s comment section at any time.