Veteran goaltender of 11 seasons officially retires from the NHL at age 35
Antti Raanta, the former Carolina Hurricanes goaltender, announced his retirement from the NHL at 35, aiming to continue his career overseas.
Despite drawing some interest from NHL teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks during free agency, the offers were primarily for a professional tryout (PTO) with the expectation that he would serve as veteran insurance or possibly start in the AHL. Raanta decided to explore opportunities in European leagues instead.
Anti Raanta's career in the NHL spanned 277 games across four teams, compiling a respectable 139-80-29 record, a 2.48 goals-against average (GAA), a .915 save percentage, and 20 shutouts. His best season was in 2022-23 with Carolina, where he posted a 2.23 GAA and a .910 save percentage. Unfortunately, he struggled last season with a 2.99 GAA and a .872 save percentage, leading to multiple waivers and stints in the AHL.
While Raanta's NHL chapter closes, he's not yet hanging up his skates. He expressed interest in playing in Switzerland, Czechia, or Germany. Although he had offers from European leagues in the spring, he initially turned them down in hopes of securing a desirable NHL contract. As those leagues' seasons begin or are about to start, Raanta will wait for the right opportunity overseas.
We wish Antti Raanta all the best in his future endeavours and a happy retirement from the NHL.
Source: HockeyPatrol
Veteran goaltender Officially retires from NHL hockey
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