Antti Raanta will start Game 1 of playoffs for Carolina Hurricanes

Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour confirmed to the media that goaltender Antti Raanta will get the start between the pipes for game one of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the New York Islanders at PNC Arena in Raleigh tonight. One of four playoff games that will get underway to kick off the 2022-23 postseason.

The 33-year-old Finnish product appeared in 27 games during the 2022-23 campaign with the Hurricanes. He was one win shy of reaching the 20-win threshold, posting a record of 19-3-3 to go along with a 2.23 goals-against average and .910 save percentage. That would’ve been the first time reaching the 20-win mark since the 2017-18 season when he was with Arizona Coyotes. During Raanta’s last four appearances with the Hurricanes, he has posted a 3-1-0 record, one shutout and a 1.74 GAA. Last season he was awarded a team share of the Jennings Trophy for holding the NHL’s Lowest Goals Against, posting a 2.45 GAA and a 15-5-4 record.

While the Hurricanes have been alternating their goaltending position Raanta and Frederik Andersen, it seems they will continue so throughout the postseason. It would be no surprise to see Brind’Amour flip-flop between the two netminders throughout the series. Raanta is currently in the final year of a two-year $4,000,000 contract he signed with the Hurricanes in 2021. The contract has an average annual value of $2,000,000. He will become an unrestricted free agent this summer. 

Throughout his 10-year career, Raanta has played for the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, Coyotes and Hurricanes. He has appeared in 253 games, posting a 127-73-27 record with 19 shutouts and a 2.43 GAA and a .918 SV%. He was also a part of the 2014-15 Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup winning team playing 14 regular season games.