Veteran goaltender Antti Raanta announced that he is returning to his native Finland to continue his hockey career. This ends an 11-year NHL career for the goaltender.
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— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) September 15, 2024
Antti Raanta Continues Career in Finland
Antti Raanta has been around the NHL for some time now. Over the years he has called a few places home with the most recent being in Carolina with the Hurricanes. The 35 year old Finnish netminder has had a pretty decent career with over a decade of NHL experience. His career SV% is .915 while his GAA is 2.48. When Carolina signed him two years ago, they got pretty much what they were looking for in an experienced goalie who could serve as a 1A/1B and take starts when needed. After his initial deal with Carolina, his play led to a one-year contract last offseason. But this past season is one Raanta would probably like to mostly forget.
His SV% was .872 and his GAA was 2.99. When Frederik Andersen went out with a blood clotting issue, it was up to Raanta and Pyotr Kochetkov to man the net. And for the initial chunk of the season they both struggled. However, Raanta actually picked up his play in the later part of the season. But things were still not smooth sailing. The Hurricanes claimed Spencer Martin off waivers and when Andersen returned, they waived Raanta and he finished the year with the Chicago Wolves in the AHL. His overall goals saved above expected was tenth worst in the NHL at -9.3 but that was largely due to his abysmal start.
What this Means
Looking at the statistics above makes it seem like Raanta may not be an NHL calibre goalie anymore, but that isn’t exactly true. As mentioned previously, he picked his game up in the later part of the season. From January 1, 2024 until the end of the season he had a .908 SV% and a top ten 1.97 GAA. Maybe some of the lows and highs were the team in front of him, but Raanta showed he still has something left in the tank. His finish in the AHL was likely the result of a numbers game.
Regardless, this is a new chance for Raanta as he and his family returns home. He can still play the game he loves while being closer to home. His veteran experience will be very valuable for whichever team he joins. In Carolina he was nicknamed by some “Father Finn” as he took many of the younger Finnish players as well as others sort of under his wing. Even in the struggles, Raanta seemed to always have a smile on his face and carried a positive presence. While it may not be in the NHL, it’s good to see him moving forward with that same smile on his face.
Main Photo Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
