Carolina Hurricanes place goaltender Antti Raanta on waivers
The Carolina Hurricanes have placed goaltender Antti Raanta on waivers, according to multiple reports.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and Hurricanes team reporter Wyatt Ruff were among those who shared the news of Raanta being waived shortly after 2:00 p.m. ET on Saturday afternoon.
Raanta, 34, has struggled enormously in Carolina this season, posting a 6–5–1 record, a 3.61 goals against average, and an .854 save percentage in 14 games with the Hurricanes.
The Hurricanes currently rank fourth in the Metropolitan Division with a 16–12–2 record and 34 points in 30 games this season. Their .871 team save percentage currently ranks dead last in the NHL.
The #Canes have placed goaltender Antti Raanta on waivers.
In 14 games this season he has produced a record of 6-5-1 with a 3.61 goals against average (GAA) and an .854 save percentage (SV%). pic.twitter.com/dXA8w1hH5O
Raanta’s performance in Carolina’s 6–5 loss to Nashville on Friday night might have been the straw that broke the camel’s back for the Hurricanes’ front office. The Finnish netminder stopped just 24 of 30 shots as the Predators came back from 5–3 down to win in overtime.
Earlier this season, Raanta allowed eight goals on just 14 shots in an 8–2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on home ice. His .854 save percentage in 14 games is by far and away the worst mark of any goalie with at least 10 games played this season (the next worst is Chicago’s Arvid Soderblom, who has an .872 in 14 games).
Raanta is currently in his third season with the Hurricanes. He signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract back on July 1 to remain with Carolina through the end of the 2023–24 season.
Complicating the Hurricanes’ situation is that they have just four goaltenders on NHL contracts in their entire organization. Pyotr Kochetkov is the only one who looks like a playable NHL goaltender right now, but even he has had his struggles. The other three are Raanta (on waivers), Frederik Andersen (currently out indefinitely with a blood clotting issue), and Yaniv Perets (in the ECHL).
With their goaltending tandem currently in flux, the Hurricanes are slated to return to action on Sunday to take on the Washington Capitals at 6:00 p.m. ET.