Canucks have another goalie "on their radar": report
The Vancouver Canucks could be bringing another experienced goalie to training camp.
The team has veteran Antti Raanta on “their radar” for a potential professional tryout (PTO) per Sportsnet’s Iain MacIntyre.
Per @DhaliwalSports report that Thatcher Demko is back on the ice, this is good news for Canucks. Team not setting any pre-season deadlines, but wants Demko to keep improving, which he is. Besides Lankinen, Antti Raanta is another goalie on radar as potential PTO.
— Iain MacIntyre (@imacSportsnet) September 3, 2024
The 35-year-old Raanta has 277 NHL games under his belt. He’s spent the last few seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes and finished last year with a 12-7-2 record, a 2.99 goals-against-average, and a .872% save percentage.
While those numbers aren’t outstanding, Raanta was much better the year before as he put up a 19-3-3 record, a 2.23 goals-against-average, and a .910% save percentage.
The Canucks are looking to improve their goaltending depth as both Thatcher Demko and Arturs Silovs have battled knee injuries this summer. However, some recent news has revealed Demko is back on the ice, and Silovs is expected to be ready for the start of the season.
Still, the team is looking for a goaltender to add to its depth chart.
The Canucks have been reported to have an interest in free agent goalie Kevin Lankinen. The team made Lankinen a contract offer, but they have not yet met the demands needed to get a deal done.
Bringing in Raanta on a PTO would allow the team to monitor both Demko and Silovs’ health status. If they both seemed fine, the club would have no commitment to the veteran goalie.
The team has already agreed to bring in winger Sammy Blais on a PTO. He will be fighting for a spot near the bottom of the lineup.
The Canucks’ training camp starts on September 19 in Penticton. The club has announced that tickets will go on sale starting September 4. You can see this year’s team all get together for the first time as they begin their pursuit for the Stanley Cup.