Antti Raanta Chooses Next Playing Destination

After interest from a couple of NHL teams for the preseason, 35-year-old goaltender Antti Raanta has instead decided to head back to Europe to continue his hockey career, signing on with Genève-Servette HC in the top Swiss league for the rest of their season.

🇫🇮 𝘼𝙉𝙏𝙏𝙄 𝙍𝘼𝘼𝙉𝙏𝘼 sera en 𝑮𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒂𝒕 cette saison 🔥 !

Le GSHC et le portier finlandais ont trouvé un accord pour la saison 24-25 ! 💪

🗞️ https://t.co/qAirK03sYx pic.twitter.com/r8ukqzHJbn
— Genève-Servette HC (@officialGSHC) September 23, 2024

Both the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks are reported to have had interest in Raanta, and the Canucks offered him a PTO for this fall, but he chose to head back overseas for more certain playing time.

Raanta has had a tremendous career, from his record-breaking season in the Finnish Liga way back in 2012-13 as a 23-year-old (Top Goalie in the league, MVP of the regular season, MVP of the playoffs), he came over to North America and played 10 very strong seasons before falling off with a tough year in 2023-24.

Raanta suited up for the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, Arizona Coyotes and Carolina Hurricanes, and has a Stanley Cup ring from 2015 with the Hawks (though he didn't get into a playoff game that year), and a share of the Jennings Trophy from 2022 with the Canes, when he started 26 games, sharing the award with Frederik Andersen.

If this is indeed the end for Raanta in the NHL, he finishes his 11-year career with a save percentage of .915 in 301 games, a 2.48 goals against and a sparkling record of 139-80-29.