Stanley Cup Champion and veteran goalie Antti Raanta makes difficult decision on his career
After more than a decade in the league, Stanley Cup Champion goaltender Antti Ranta made the difficult decision to retire from the NHL to continue his hockey career in Europe.
Antti Raanta has goaltended in the NHL for 11 years, playing with the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, Arizona Coyotes, and most recently the Carolina Hurricanes. Though did not appear behind the crease when Chicago won the Stanley Cup in 2015, he had the honor of lifting the trophy over his head as a member of the victorious team when he was just 24 years old.
This offseason, while the Vancouver Canucks were trying to fix their goaltending situation with Thatcher Demko's injury, the team reportedly reached out to Antti Raanta to see if he was interested in a PTO. Unfortunately for them, he was not interested in being a backup. Instead, the veteran goaltender has decided to leave the NHL.
"Yes, the Vancouver Canucks called Antti Raanta about coming to their training camp. 'No, I'm not interested,' was Raanta's reply.
The veteran goalie told Finnish newspaper Ilta Sanomat on Saturday that he's not interested in playing in the NHL anymore, let alone checking out an opportunity on the West Coast that was really nothing bigger than a maybe."
The veteran goalie told Finnish newspaper Ilta Sanomat on Saturday that he's not interested in playing in the NHL anymore, let alone checking out an opportunity on the West Coast that was really nothing bigger than a maybe."
During Antti Raanta's initial interview with Ilta-Sanomat, he shared the reasons he decided to step away upon finishing his contract with the Carolina Hurricanes. He did not like the idea of playing a bigger role in the AHL, and no longer had the passion to fight for a major role in the league. Instead, he felt drawn to return to his family and comfort in Europe, where he could still play heavy, professional hockey.
"At the end of the season and in the summer, I thought about all sorts of things, but as the summer progressed and my body felt good, Europe started to attract more.
There was a second or third-string role and possibly playing in the AHL. It's not necessarily the thing to weigh up to 60 games in the AHL at 35 and just wait for maybe someone to fail or get injured and you'll get in a rut.
I knocked it out right away and announced that I'd kind of made my decision not to go there anymore. A few hours ago I was suddenly on a Zoom call with Marko Torenius and GM. It would have been more of a probation-type setup.
There is no longer such a passion that I would go there tooth and nail to fight for a place.
There could be more meaningful places in Europe for me and my family, but you can't say that I returned to Europe to cool down. You have to catch pucks here too. But I weighed for 11 years in the NHL. Now was a good time to return to Europe with my family."
There was a second or third-string role and possibly playing in the AHL. It's not necessarily the thing to weigh up to 60 games in the AHL at 35 and just wait for maybe someone to fail or get injured and you'll get in a rut.
I knocked it out right away and announced that I'd kind of made my decision not to go there anymore. A few hours ago I was suddenly on a Zoom call with Marko Torenius and GM. It would have been more of a probation-type setup.
There is no longer such a passion that I would go there tooth and nail to fight for a place.
There could be more meaningful places in Europe for me and my family, but you can't say that I returned to Europe to cool down. You have to catch pucks here too. But I weighed for 11 years in the NHL. Now was a good time to return to Europe with my family."
With 277 games and a .915 career save percentage average, Antti Raanta has played a major role in the NHL as a backup goalie. Though he is 35, his 24-game season saw a 2.99 goals-against average, which should be impressive enough to get a contract in a European league, wherever that may be. Regardless, we can all wish him the best for the next steps in his career.
Source: House of Hockey
Veteran goaltender retires from NHL hockey
Veteran goaltender retires from NHL hockey
| POLL | ||
SEPTEMBRE 14 | 108 ANSWERS Stanley Cup Champion and veteran goalie Antti Raanta makes difficult decision on his career Will former Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Antti Raanta play in Europe? | ||
| Yes | 86 | 79.6 % |
| No | 22 | 20.4 % |
| LIST OF POLLS | ||
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