Antti Raanta facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Antti Raanta
Raanta with the Carolina Hurricanes in October 2023
Born	(1989-05-12) 12 May 1989 (age 36) Rauma, Finland
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	193 lb (88 kg; 13 st 11 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Catches	Left
NL team Former teams	Genève-Servette HC Lukko Ässät Chicago Blackhawks New York Rangers Arizona Coyotes Carolina Hurricanes
National team	Finland
NHL Draft	Undrafted
Playing career	2008–present

Antti Raanta (born 12 May 1989) is a professional ice hockey goaltender from Finland. He currently plays for Genève-Servette HC in the National League (NL). Raanta first joined the Chicago Blackhawks as a player who wasn't chosen in the main draft. He has also played for the New York Rangers, Arizona Coyotes, and Carolina Hurricanes.

Antti Raanta's Hockey Journey

Early Career in Finland

Starting with Lukko (2009–2011)

Antti Raanta began his professional hockey journey in March 2008. He signed a three-year contract with Rauman Lukko in Finland's top league, Liiga. In 2009, Raanta helped the Lukko U20 team win a bronze medal. He also had the best save percentage in the U20 league, which means he stopped a very high percentage of shots. Even though he was called up to the main Lukko team, he didn't play his first Liiga game yet. He did play two games in a lower league called Mestis with the U20 national team.

Championship with Ässät (2011–2013)

In 2013, Raanta achieved a big success by winning the Finnish championship with Ässät. He was recognized as the best player of the regular season, winning the Lasse Oksanen Trophy. He also won the Jari Kurri Trophy for being the best player in the playoffs. During the playoffs, he had an amazing .955 save percentage! After this, he signed a contract with the Chicago Blackhawks in the NHL, so he didn't end up playing for another Finnish team, HIFK, that he had also signed with.

Time in the NHL

Joining the Chicago Blackhawks (2013–2015)

Raanta with the Chicago Blackhawks at the 2015 NHL Winter Classic

On June 3, 2013, Raanta signed his first NHL contract with the Chicago Blackhawks. He was called up to the Blackhawks from their minor league team, the Rockford IceHogs, in November. This happened after the team's backup goaltender got injured. Raanta made his NHL debut on November 19, stopping 14 shots.

On December 30, Raanta earned his first career shutout. This means he stopped every single shot the other team took, leading his team to a 1–0 win. He stopped all 26 shots he faced. Because of his great play, Raanta was named Rookie of the Month for December 2013. He had an impressive record of 8 wins, 1 loss, and 3 overtime losses that month.

In June 2014, the Blackhawks signed Raanta to a new two-year contract. During the 2014–15 season, Raanta spent some time playing for the minor league team again. He was called up and sent down a few times. The Blackhawks went on to win the Stanley Cup that season. Even though Raanta didn't play in the playoffs, he was part of the team. He got a personal day with the Stanley Cup and a Stanley Cup ring. However, his name wasn't engraved on the Cup because he didn't play enough games during the season or in the playoffs.

Moving to the New York Rangers (2015–2017)

After his time with the Blackhawks, Raanta was traded to the New York Rangers on June 27, 2015. He competed for the backup goaltender spot behind the famous Henrik Lundqvist and won it.

In December, Raanta got injured during a game when a hard shot hit him in the head. He recovered faster than expected and returned to play later that month. During the 2015–16 season, Raanta played in 25 games, starting 18 of them. He finished with 11 wins, 6 losses, and 2 overtime losses. He also had one shutout. In May 2016, Raanta signed a two-year contract extension with the Rangers.

Playing for the Arizona Coyotes (2017–2021)

Raanta with the Arizona Coyotes in November 2019

On June 23, 2017, Raanta was traded to the Arizona Coyotes. In his first season with the Coyotes, he played in 41 games, winning 21 of them. The Coyotes did not make it to the playoffs that year. In April 2018, the Coyotes signed Raanta to a new three-year contract worth $12.75 million. His time with the Coyotes was often affected by injuries.

With the Carolina Hurricanes (2021–2024)

After four seasons with the Coyotes, Raanta became a free agent. On July 28, 2021, he signed a two-year contract with the Carolina Hurricanes.

On October 31, Raanta played his first game for the Hurricanes and won against his old team, the Arizona Coyotes. He helped the team start the season with an amazing 8–0–0 record. This was the first time in his career that he was part of a team that started undefeated. On April 7, 2022, Raanta helped the Hurricanes secure a spot in the playoffs. On April 28, Raanta and his teammate Frederik Andersen won the William M. Jennings Trophy. This award is given to the goaltenders on the team that allows the fewest goals against in the regular season.

In the playoffs, Raanta started the first-round game because Andersen was injured. He won his first career playoff game on May 2. In game two, Raanta had to leave the game early after a collision. However, he returned to help the team win the first round in game seven.

In his third year with Carolina during the 2023–24 season, Raanta was placed on waivers in December 2023. This meant other teams could claim him. When no team did, he was sent to the Chicago Wolves in the AHL.

Post-NHL Career (2024–present)

After finishing the season with the Chicago Wolves, Antti Raanta decided to retire from the NHL on September 15, 2024. He wanted to find new opportunities to play in Europe.

Just a few days later, on September 23, 2024, Raanta signed a one-year contract with Genève-Servette HC in the National League (NL). This happened after one of their goalies got injured.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International

Awards and honours

Images for kids

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  Antti Raanta at the Chicago Blackhawks 2015 Championship Rally