About Last Season: Antti Raanta

Antti Raanta: 2022-23 By the Numbers

• Age: 34
• NHL Seasons: 10
• Regular Season: 19-3-3, 2.23 goals-against average, .910 save percentage, four shutouts in 26 games started
• Playoffs: 3-3-0, 2.48 goals-against average, .909 save percentage, zero shutouts in six games started

The biggest question for the Carolina Hurricanes heading into the offseason is their goaltending. The 2022-23 season was the final season on Raanta’s two-year, $4 million contract joining Frederik Andersen in free agency.

Heading into the Canes offseason, both goaltenders publicly stated they were willing to return, but where does Raanta fit in with the offseason plans?

Raanta has had two consistent seasons for the Canes with a combined record of 34-8-7 starting 26 games in each season. While his save percentage decreased from .912 to .910 this season, his goals against decreased from 2.45 to 2.23 from the 2021-22 season to the 2022-23 season.

The Canes have been employing a three-headed monster in net with Raanta only starting three more games than rookie Pyotr Kotchetkov, but it is still very notable that he only lost six total games and only three regulation wins.

“Father Finn” was signed to fill the role of backup. However, in his two seasons in Carolina he has not proven to be a more than capable backup, he has filled in as the temporary starter successfully on multiple occasions.

This season he stepped up with Pyotr Kochetkov when Andersen was injured from Early November through Mid January. This was not the first time in the last two seasons that Raanta has had to fill in as the starter.

The most notable time was during the 2021-22 playoffs where he started 13 games over two rounds. He was the only reason the Canes were in any close games against the New York Rangers earning a .922 sv%, the offense was just unable to break through.

In the most recent playoffs, he started the first six games of the first round against the New York Islanders before he handed the net off to Andersen. Andersen was lights out in the playoffs and didn’t cede the net back to Raanta until game two in the Conference Final.

The Canes turned to Raanta to give Andersen a rest after the 4OT thriller in game one. Raanta ended the playoffs with a 3-3 record with a 2.48 GAA, .909 sv%, and 1.3 goals saved above expected. finished 12th in goals save above expected

Raanta has been a great addition for the Canes providing goaltending depth but will he be here by the end of the week? We won’t have to wait long to see with both the Draft and free agency happening later this week.

The Canes already have a goaltender in waiting with Kochetkov who has also proven that he can win regularly at the NHL level. The organizational philosophy has always been to value goaltending depth, so there is no rush to bring Kochetkov up full-time in the NHL.

Even if the Canes don’t keep the same tandem, Raanta could be the goalie that stays. He was on a smaller contract than Andersen, and could also be a cheaper option moving forward. The big issue on the contract will be term. The Canes are not going to want to lock up a 33-year-old goaltender for medium to long term.

This could also be the best chance and his last chance to earn a big contract. His largest AAV has been $4.5 million between 2019-2021. Coming off a solid campaign, he could draw the eyes of other teams who could swoop in and give him a sweetheart deal.