If anything, Stefan Frei's string of injuries have acted as an anti-aging tool, a break from years of calamitous back fours in front of him that saw the 26-year-old Toronto FC goalkeeper carry twice the workload of netminders around MLS.

On top of Joe Bendik being relatively mistake-free through three games his season, Frei's extended break -- TFC's former No. 1 has played just 45 pre-season minutes the past 379 days -- looks to have cost him his place atop the depth chart.

"This a professional environment," TFC head coach Ryan Nelsen said, claiming he'd feel comfortable starting each of his three goalkeepers a week from Saturday.