In a surprising move, the Carolina Hurricanes placed goaltender Antti Raanta on waivers Saturday afternoon, raising questions about the team's goaltending strategy and the search for stability in the crease.
Raanta, who signed a one-year, $1.5 million deal with the Hurricanes on July 1st, has posted a 6-5-1 record this season with a 3.61 GAA, .854 save percentage and one shutout. Despite a respectable win-loss record, Raanta's recent performances have been less than stellar, giving up 10 goals on 54 shots in a loss to Vancouver and an overtime defeat against Nashville.
This move comes at a challenging time for the Hurricanes, as they are already without Frederik Andersen, who is sidelined with no clear timetable for his return. With Raanta on waivers, the Hurricanes' goaltending depth chart faces a significant shakeup.
As it stands, the Carolina Hurricanes have two other goaltenders on their roster with NHL contracts: Pyotr Kochetkov and Yaniv Perets. Kochetkov has played 14 games with the Hurricanes, boasting a 6-6-1 record, a 2.78 GAA, .890 save percentage and one shutout.
Perets, although predominantly seeing action in the ECHL this season, is expected to be called up to the Hurricanes, according to NHL Network's Kevin Weeks. In the ECHL, Perets has played 11 games, accumulating a 5-5-1 record, a 2.38 GAA, .916 save percentage and one shutout.
The decision to waive Raanta indicates that Carolina is actively looking to bolster its goaltending position, especially given the uncertainty surrounding Andersen's return. The goaltender market is currently active, with teams like New Jersey, Edmonton and Montreal also exploring options. The Hurricanes are expected to join the fray, with the only question being when they will make their move.
The timing is crucial as the Carolina Hurricanes are set to face the Washington Capitals in their upcoming game. With puck drop scheduled for 6 pm ET, the goaltending situation is concerning for the team's immediate future.
Carolina Hurricanes updated roster
Centers:
- Sebastian Aho
- Callahan Burke
- Jack Drury
- Seth Jarvis
- Jesperi Kotkaniemi
- Martin Necas
- Vasiliy Ponomarev
- Jordan Staal
Left Wings:
- Michael Bunting
- Brendan Lemieux
- Jordan Martinook
- Teuvo Teravainen
Right Wings:
- Jesper Fast
- Stefan Noesen
- Andrei Svechnikov
Defense:
- Brent Burns
- Jalen Chatfield
- Tony DeAngelo
- Dmitry Orlov
- Brett Pesce
- Brady Skjei
- Jaccob Slavin
Goalies:
- Frederik Andersen
- Pyotr Kochetkov
- Yaniv Perets
Sebastian Aho dominates the Carolina Hurricanes' team leaderboard, leading in points (26), goals (11) and assists (15). Brendan Lemieux tops penalty minutes with 33, while Brent Burns boasts an impressive plus/minus rating of 10.