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
Liiga team Former teams	Lukko Ässät Chicago Blackhawks New York Rangers Arizona Coyotes Carolina Hurricanes Genève-Servette HC
National team	Finland
NHL Draft	Undrafted
Playing career	2008–present

Antti Raanta (born on May 12, 1989) is a professional ice hockey goaltender from Finland. He currently plays for Lukko in the Finnish Liiga. Before returning to Finland, he played for Genève-Servette HC in Switzerland's National League. Raanta started his journey in the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks. He also played for the New York Rangers, Arizona Coyotes, and Carolina Hurricanes.

Antti Raanta's Hockey Journey

Early Career in Finland (2009–2013)

Antti Raanta began his professional hockey career in Finland. In March 2008, he signed a three-year contract with Lukko, a team in his hometown of Rauma.

Playing for Lukko (2009–2011)

In 2009, Raanta helped the Lukko U20 team win a bronze medal. He also had the best save percentage in the U20 league, meaning he stopped a very high number of shots. He was called up to Lukko's main team but did not play in a Liiga game yet. He played two games in a league called Mestis with the U20 national team.

Success with Ässät (2011–2013)

In 2013, Raanta achieved a big win, helping Ässät win the Finnish championship. He was recognized as the best player in the regular season, receiving the Lasse Oksanen Trophy. He also won the Jari Kurri Trophy as the best player in the playoffs, showing his amazing skill with a .955 save percentage. After this success, he signed a contract with the Chicago Blackhawks, which meant he didn't play for another Finnish team, HIFK, that he had also signed with.

Time in the NHL (2013–2024)

Antti Raanta spent many years playing in the National Hockey League (NHL) in North America.

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 goalie got injured.

Raanta made his NHL debut on November 19, 2013. He stopped 14 of 16 shots in that game. On December 30, he achieved his first NHL shutout, meaning he stopped every shot the other team took. He was named Rookie of the Month for December 2013, sharing the honor with another goalie.

In the 2014–15 season, Raanta was sometimes sent to play with the Rockford IceHogs and then called back up to the Blackhawks. The Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup in 2015. Even though Raanta didn't play in the playoffs, he received a Stanley Cup ring and had a day to celebrate with the Cup. His name was not added to the Cup because he didn't play enough games during the season or in the playoffs.

New York Rangers (2015–2017)

After his time with the Blackhawks, Raanta was traded to the New York Rangers on June 27, 2015. He became the backup goalie for the Rangers, playing behind star goalie Henrik Lundqvist.

During the 2015–16 season, Raanta played in 25 games. He had a good record of 11 wins, 6 losses, and 2 overtime losses. He also had one shutout. In May 2016, he signed a new two-year contract with the Rangers.

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 and had 21 wins. In April 2018, the Coyotes signed him to a new three-year contract. During his four seasons with the Coyotes, Raanta faced some injuries.

Carolina Hurricanes (2021–2024)

After leaving the Coyotes, Raanta signed a two-year contract with the Carolina Hurricanes on July 28, 2021.

On October 31, Raanta played his first game for the Hurricanes and won against his former team, the Arizona Coyotes. He helped the team start the season with an amazing 8–0–0 record. In April 2022, Raanta helped the team secure a spot in the playoffs. He and fellow goalie Frederik Andersen won the William M. Jennings Trophy for allowing the fewest goals against in the league.

In the 2022 playoffs, Raanta started the first-round game against the Boston Bruins because Andersen was injured. He won his first career playoff game with a 5–1 victory. He played in 13 playoff games that year, helping the team win their first-round series.

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.

Return to Europe (2024–Present)

After finishing the season with the Chicago Wolves, Antti Raanta decided to leave the NHL. He announced his retirement from the NHL on September 15, 2024, as he wanted to play in Europe.

On September 23, 2024, Raanta signed a one-year contract with Genève-Servette HC in Switzerland. This happened after one of their goalies got injured.

On May 14, 2025, Raanta, at 36 years old, returned to his hometown team, Lukko, in Finland. He signed a one-year contract, coming back after playing abroad for 14 years.

Career Statistics

Regular Season and Playoffs

International Play

Awards and Honours