Nashville Predators goalie Juuse Saros talks injury: 'I knew it was going to be a while'

Departure was anything but sweet for Juuse Saros after hearing a "pop" in his left ankle April 26.

The Nashville Predators goalie limped off the ice during the third period against the Calgary Flames, fear and sorrow in his wake with the NHL playoffs looming in less than a week.

He hasn't dressed for work since, and won't until next season begins after the Predators were swept by the Colorado Avalanche in the first round.

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Saros said he fell awkwardly before slamming his ankle against the post. He quickly asked doctors whether the injury could have lingering effects. They assured him it likely wouldn't, but he knew he wasn't going to be suiting up anytime soon.

"It was frustrating for sure," Saros said Tuesday. "I've been pretty lucky not having really had injuries in my career. The timing of it was kind of frustrating."

And had nothing to do with his workload, he said. Saros led the NHL in minutes played and starts in his first full season as a starter, taking over for Pekka Rinne.

He made his first All-Star team in the process, and was named a finalist for the Vezina Trophy on Tuesday, another first.

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"It was a new challenge for me," he said of the playing time. "I really enjoyed it. My body felt good and my mind was fresh. I like playing that many games. I didn't really have any issues."

Saros stayed in the game for a bit after his ankle was introduced to the iron during a Predators penalty kill, but the pain was too much to bear.

"Every time I went up and down it felt really bad," he said. "That's when I kind of knew it was going to be while."

Saros didn't "know exactly" if or when he would have or could have returned had the Predators' season kept going, saying "it could take two more weeks or it could take four more weeks."

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He said his ankle has started to heal. He skated when the team was in Denver.

"Shouldn't be too bad," he said. 

It was just too bad, he said, it cost him a chance to play during the playoffs.

Reach Paul Skrbina at pskrbina@tennessean.com and follow him on Twitter @PaulSkrbina.