Anderson talks Sabres, future, Heritage Classic in Q&A with NHL.com

NHL.com's Q&A feature called "Sitting Down with…" runs each Sunday. We talk to key figures in the game, gaining insight into their lives on and off the ice.
This edition features Buffalo Sabres goalie Craig Anderson.

ECraig Anderson said he will likely close the book on his 19-year NHL career at the end of the 2021-22 season even though he won't use the word 'retire' just yet.
"After this year I've got to look at putting my family first," the Buffalo Sabres goalie said. "I mean, this is kind of like my last kind of push for myself and being selfish in still playing, which is still fun. At the same time, you know, I've got a family that needs me as well.
"Trying to juggle those, well, I think I'm at a stage now where I can look forward to probably being more at home with the family."
If Anderson does decide to call it quits after this season, he leaves behind an impressive NHL resume.
Picked in the third round (No. 73) of the 2001 NHL Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks, the 40-year-old could reach the 300-win milestone when the Sabres host the Florida Panthers on Monday (7 p.m. ET; MSG-B, BSFL, ESPN+, NHL.LIVE).
Anderson is 299-259-2-67 with a 2.84 goals-against average, .913 save percentage and 42 shutouts in 667 NHL games with the Blackhawks, Florida Panthers, Colorado Avalanche, Ottawa Senators, Washington Capitals and Sabres.
He is 8-7-0 with a 2.94 GAA and .907 save percentage for Buffalo this season and will take part in his third outdoor game when the Sabres play the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2022 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton, Ontario, on March 13 (4 p.m. ET; TNT, SN, TVAS, NHL LIVE).
Anderson spoke with NHL.com about the Heritage Classic, his future, how he wishes to be remembered when he hangs up his pads, his role as a teacher with the Sabres, and how he and wife Nicolle continue to educate people in the fight against cancer.
You're on record as saying you don't want to talk about joining the 300-win club until it happens. But what does it say about your legacy that you're even close to such a prestigious milestone?
"I think it's just the length of term, right? I mean, when I first came in in 2002-03, I didn't know where this would go. You come in as a young guy, you think you're going to be all this and that. But it doesn't take long in this league for you to get knocked down a few pegs. You start questioning whether you should be in the League or, for that matter, even be in pro hockey. Now we're looking here 20, 21 years later and you're still in pro hockey. There's something to be said about longevity."
Having said that, what does the future hold? As noted earlier, you aren't ready to use the word 'retire' … at least not yet.
"I think it's looking too far ahead. I'm taking it game by game. I'm still having fun playing but I'm at the point now where, you know, my kids are 10 and eight, they're in full-time sports (in Florida). So, it's really tough to be three hours away by plane. So, again, I think overall, I've got to look at family first after this year."
Judging by those words, do you savor every game, every save, every period as if they could be your last?
"Like I said I think you just stay in the moment, right? You don't get too far ahead. And I think right now I'm out on the ice, having fun competing and still playing the game I love as much as when I was five, six years old and starting out. You enjoy those moments for what they are. And at the end you look back and just say you had a blast doing it and turn the page and move on. We'll see when we get there. If it's time to turn the page, well, all signs point towards being with the family and taking a step back from my personal selfishness of playing the game that I love so much."
Prior to the Sabres reaching out to you in free agency last summer, were you content in thinking that your career may be over?
"I was on the fence. I was good either way, right? Like, it was good if it happened and good if it didn't. I think it was one of those things where it happened and I'm thankful for the opportunity."
How has your decision to play this season played out?
"I was really excited when the call came. To come into Buffalo and share some wealth and experience with the guys, I felt like I could still contribute and compete. Unfortunately, we went through a bit of an injury stretch there for a couple months, so that was kind of a little setback, but you know, now that we're getting playing again, I realized the game is still fun when you get out there. I think the biggest thing is when you're out there and you're enjoying yourself, you're enjoying the game, you realize that you're still a kid out there playing the game. It still makes it worth it. I was prepared to enjoy the retirement life. When the door opened, I was on the fence. I mean, I was really not expecting a phone call on the first day of free agency. It was one of those things where if something happens, I'll train in the summer a little bit here and kind of get ready if something were to happen. I wasn't expecting something right away. So, it actually gave me more time to really get focused and ramp up to training for the season so the timing couldn't have been better."
While it's been an up-and-down season in terms of wins and losses for the Sabres, how satisfying has it been for you to provide mentorship for Buffalo's cache of young players?
"You see them take strides every day for the most part. You know there are going to be growing pains. We kind of knew that coming in. But sometimes you have to take a step backwards and go two steps forward. We're going through that learning curve right now as far as guys figuring out what kind of player they're going to be, where do they want to be and how to get there. The work habits need to be instilled. So, we're working through some of that. And I think the reward is, can they get to where they need to be quicker than they would if the older guys weren't around."
How much are you looking forward to the Heritage Classic against the Maple Leafs next Sunday?
"When we get there, I think we'll be excited. Right now, we've still got a week of hockey to kind of focus on but when we get there, the family skate and kind of the whole experience of it, it's like when you're growing up. Playing outdoors, you're playing on the pond that your dad built in the backyard or you're playing with your buddies in high school, so it'll be a good experience."
You registered a couple of wins in the Heritage Classic during your time with the Ottawa Senators (4-2 against the Vancouver Canucks in British Columbia in 2014, 3-0 against the Montreal Canadiens in Ottawa in 2017). What have those experiences playing outdoors been like?
"They were good experiences. I think the whole fanfare of it, the whole experience, the outdoors, the whole overall experience was an awesome experience to be a part of. The one in Vancouver, it was raining outside so they had the dome. I think the biggest thing is just kind of adjusting to the sightlines. There's no fans, there's nobody right on the glass so you've got a big gap between the glass and the fans and that can take a little time to get adjusted to. But I would say, just enjoy the moment. It's a rare occasion. Not everyone gets to experience it. You kind of take the moment for what it is."
Do you have any desire to get into coaching once your career is over?
"I think it does enter your mind from time to time. I think the biggest thing is if I go right into coaching, it's very selfish of me to do what I want to do, right? So, I've got to take a step back when everything's said and done and say, 'What's the next five year plan look like?' Alright, so I may not coach or get back into the game for five, 10 years, three years, who knows? But it is something that I enjoy doing, sharing knowledge for someone else to take and use at their disposal. It's not the end all to be all when a coach says something, but it's passing on what you've learned from experience. Can you learn from it? Can you make yourself better because of my experiences?"
Your wife Nicolle is a survivor of throat cancer and has been a leader helping others who are battling the disease. How is she is doing?
"She's been through a lot. I think the biggest thing is that she shares her experience with people that are going through the same type of stuff that she's gone through. So, every day is a new day for us as far as her medical side of things and getting through the new normal. You just kind of roll with the punches with stuff. It's just a matter of adapting and making sure that you're an advocate for your own health. I think that's the biggest thing is, whatever is going on with you, make sure you're an advocate for your own house."