Canucks linked to veteran netminder Antti Raanta: Reasonable safety net?
The Vancouver Canucks have been linked to veteran netminder Antti Raanta.
Vancouver's training camp is set to open in just 15 days as the team heads to Penticton, British Columbia this year. This season marks the first time since Fall 2010 that the Vancouver Canucks have held training camp in Penticton and we all know how that season went, making it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final.
Heading into training camp, the Canucks' goaltending situation is a bit unclear. While Thatcher Demko is reportedly back on the ice this week, his status for training camp and preseason games remains up in the air. As for Arturs Silovs, who has been dealing with some knee ligament inflammation, all signs point to him being good to go for training camp in a couple of weeks.
Because of the uncertainty between the pipes, the Vancouver Canucks have been taking a look at the goaltending market to see what's out there. They've already been linked to Kevin Lankinen, linked to Kevin Lankinen, but now it appears that a more seasoned goaltender could be in the mix.
According to Iain MacIntyre, the Vancouver Canucks reportedly have veteran goaltender Antti Raanta on their radar for a potential professional tryout contract (PTO).
Raanta, a native of Rauma, Finland, appeared in 24 games last season for the Carolina Hurricanes where he had a record of 12-7-2 along with a 2.99 goals against average, an .872 save percentage and one shutout. The 35-year-old also spent a little bit of time in the AHL last season, playing in eight games for the Chicago Wolves.
The Canucks will need to act pretty quickly if they're going to bring in another goaltender to training camp, likely on a professional tryout contract. Both Lankinen and Raanta would be good fits for the organization and it's going to be interesting to see if either of them end up signing with the Canucks in the coming days.
Who do you think would be a better fit for the Canucks - Kevin Lankinen or Antti Raanta? Let us know what you think in the poll below.
| POLL | ||
Which goaltender would be a better fit for the Canucks? | ||
| Kevin Lankinen | 131 | 66.8 % |
| Antti Raanta | 65 | 33.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
