Announcement: Canucks Closing in on Deal to Sign Free-Agent Veteran Goaltender for Professional Tryout Agreement

The Canucks are keeping an eye on free-agent netminder Antti Raanta for a potential professional tryout agreement, Iain MacIntyre of Sportsnet reported Tuesday.

Vancouver has been a name to watch on the goalie market in recent weeks after a report from CHEK’s Rick Dhaliwal indicated that Thatcher Demko’s knee injury sustained during last season’s playoffs was healing slower than hoped. Dhaliwal passed along that Demko has at least returned to skating, which is undoubtedly a positive sign of his potential availability for opening night.

This move comes as the Canucks look to bolster their goaltending depth ahead of the upcoming NHL season, addressing a key area of concern.

A Veteran Presence

The Canucks won’t be out of the woods until they know for sure, though, with their options behind Demko between the pipes minimal. They’re expected to let 23-year-old Latvian Arturs Silovs be the full-time backup this season after he went 5-5 in 10 postseason games to relieve the injured Demko and veteran Casey DeSmith. However, he only has nine games of NHL experience. 25-year-old Jiri Patera, signed to be their third-string netminder earlier this summer, has eight.

Unsurprisingly, that lack of experience has led the Canucks to explore veteran options to help fill the gap, especially during training camp when Demko is unlikely to be fully cleared. They’ve already been linked to Kevin Lankinen, the top name left on the UFA market, but details are scarce on whether they’re considering offering him a PTO or a guaranteed deal.

Raanta, 35, is almost certainly a Plan B if Lankinen doesn’t pan out. Once a premier tandem option, the Finn fell off the map entirely last season after struggling to a .872 SV% in 24 games behind a stout Hurricanes defense. He ended up on waivers in March, went unclaimed, and became a UFA this summer after completing the one-year, $1.5M deal he signed to stay in Carolina last summer.

Raanta is also a high-risk pickup due to his significant injury history. He hasn’t made more than 30 appearances in a season since 2019-20 despite his play warranting it multiple times, and he’s only been healthy enough to start most of his team’s games once in his 11-year career.

Given Raanta’s experience and skill set, the Canucks may see him as a valuable insurance policy, especially if any injuries or performance issues arise during the season. His presence could also provide healthy competition for the backup role, pushing the team’s other goaltenders to elevate their game.