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Antti Raanta - How close to NHL?

Arto Kilponen

Registered User
Oct 29, 2006
4,051
1,065
Helsinki, Finland
As most of people who have followed Finnish hockey knows, Antti Raanta's 2013 has been pretty historical so far. Breaking playoff shutout record was one skatelace away, finals save% record was something like three shots away, won basically all the games that mattered, won regular season MVP, won playoffs MVP.

Yesterday he played the World Championships game against Slovakia and was on his typical level, playing a 36-save shutout. Some people assume he will be the #1 goalie from now on for Team Finland in this tournament.

But what do you think, realistically, could he be in NHL for 2013-14 season? If you think he could, then in what team you see an opening for him? He is undrafted so any team is free to make a contract offer for him.





Raanta's agent Patrik Aronsson in Ilta-Sanomat has said that
-Raanta can basically select his NHL team, there's so much interest.
-The contract negotiations will take place after World Championships
-The was no needs of specific marketing of Raanta, because he's the best goalie in Europe and European goalies have high reputation.
-Agent won't reveal which teams are interested. It is about five teams.
(http://www.iltasanomat.fi/mmkiekko/art-1288562944954.html)

According to member Leehh, these teams have offered contracts to Raanta: Vancouver, Columbus, Chicago, Calgary and Carolina. (http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=65414151&postcount=28)

The contract, due to Raanta's age, has to be one-year, two-way deal (http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=65417009&postcount=30).

Satakunnan Kansa writes that the 200 000 USD coming from NHL is divided between Lukko (30%) and Ässät (70%). HIFK gets nothing.
(http://www.satakunnankansa.fi/Kiekk...rtikkeli/assat saa raannasta hyvan potin.html)

Or $225k according to Jussi (http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=65437961&postcount=36)

(For people wondering about "what skatelace": Teemu Lassila had 4 shutouts in 2004 playoffs. Antti Raanta had 4 shutouts in 2013 playoffs. A shutout means goalie plays the whole game without allowing a goal. On April 3rd against JYP, JYP wasn't able to score a single goal and Raanta played for 58:43. He missed 1:17 because his skatelace broke -> cost him the record)
Click to read more...
 
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skillhockey

Registered User
Feb 26, 2013
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Some team will hire him. Could play right away depending how well he can adjust to NHL rink. I think Bobrovsky didn't play single ahl game for example.
 
vsk92

vsk92

Alltid IFK
Mar 31, 2011
7,575
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Scotland.
Hopefully he does get his shot at the NHL but being greedy I'd like him to play for HIFK next season :laugh:
 
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TheFeistyFinn

TheFeistyFinn

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Dec 31, 2011
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he should go to NHL right now if possible. he can't develop any further in finland. if he continue to play like this then, there's very good chance that he gets approached by NHL teams.
 

Arto Kilponen

Registered User
Oct 29, 2006
4,051
1,065
Helsinki, Finland
vsk92 said:
Hopefully he does get his shot at the NHL but being greedy I'd like him to play for HIFK next season :laugh:
Click to expand...

That is pretty greedy! Both of Finland's goalies are HIFK goalies, that's probably the best goalie tandem that has never played in SM-Liiga, if you know what I mean.
 

BDX

Registered User
Jul 12, 2004
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0
Source that I know is trustworthy says Raanta has signed a contract with Chicago Blackhawks early this spring.
 

Aceonfire*

Guest
Antti Raanta

Why isn't anyone in NA talking about this goalie?

At 23 he is by far the best goalie in the SM-liiga.

He was passed over in the 2009 draft and can sign with any team. His numbers have been getting better every year.

In 2012-2013 he posted a 0.943 Sv % and 1.85 GA with 5 SO in 45 games.

He just shut out the Slovaks with 36 saves.

Somebody bring him to the NHL...

Guy is a beast.
 
Uncle Scrooge

Uncle Scrooge

Hockey Bettor
Nov 14, 2011
13,528
8,084
Helsinki
This was the first full game i saw from him this season and i have to say i've talked a lot out of my ass about him.

Looked like an NHL goalie out there. Calm, good positioning, reads the play well and sees the puck through traffic. Of course his confidence is over the top right now so it's not guaranteed that he can keep this up but i mean why not. Dude looks like 6' 3" out there but he's only 6' 0".

FEL stats for goalies always makes them look better because there's a lot of pointless shots and the shooters in general are poor compared to NA shooters. But this is something else.

Regular season - 45 GP 94.3 % 1.85 GAA 5 SO
Playoffs - 16 GP 95.5 % 1.33 GAA 4 SO

Won the championship. Playoff MVP.
 

Fin9*

Guest
Unbelievable season from him. If theres a trophy for the Finnish hockey player of the year he should win it easily. Cant believe hes only 23 too. Im pretty sure he will become a good 1 NHL goaltender
 
CBJx614

CBJx614

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May 25, 2012
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Somebody posted in the :cbj boards earlier that there is a rumor they sent him a contract offer.
 

Aceonfire*

Guest
slightlystewpid420 said:
Somebody posted in the :cbj boards earlier that there is a rumor they sent him a contract offer.
Click to expand...

I like Columbus but I would start to hate them if they had Bob, Dansk and now him lol.

There are a lot of teams that should be interested. NJ probably being one of the highest.
 
Juzmo

Juzmo

Registered User
Nov 17, 2009
42,938
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Jaymond Flurrie said:
Why isn't it released yet - and if that is true, where will the NHL-compensation go? Raanta was Ässät player until the end of April.
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For my knowledge from the 225 000 dollars Ässät will get the 50% from last season, 30% for the season before that and Lukko gets 20% for the season before the last two.
Jaymond Flurrie said:
Hmm... In other words you are saying that even if HIFK has a contract with him, they would get absolutely nothing?
Click to expand...
Edit. That's what I've read.
 
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Arto Kilponen

Registered User
Oct 29, 2006
4,051
1,065
Helsinki, Finland
Juzmo said:
For my knowledge from the 225 000 dollars Ässät will get the 50% from last season, 30% for the season before that and Lukko gets 20% for the season before the last two.
Click to expand...

Hmm... In other words you are saying that even if HIFK has a contract with him, they would get absolutely nothing?
 

Aceonfire*

Guest
FinRuutu said:
http://www.savonsanomat.fi/urheilu/...-torju-ensi-kaudella-hifkssatassa-syy/1323287

According to Finnish media sources Raanta's agent has said that after WHC Raanta signs an NHL contract, team is still undecided but many offers has been given to him.

Good for him.

edit: Raanta has said that he doesn't wanna play in the KHL but rather in the NHL even when it means less money.
Click to expand...

I expect that this story is going to blow up soon. There will likely be a bidding war as many teams are in the hunt for a goaltender.

And Finnish goalies are arguably the best in the world.

Good for him :yo:
 
Juzmo

Juzmo

Registered User
Nov 17, 2009
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Arto Kilponen

Registered User
Oct 29, 2006
4,051
1,065
Helsinki, Finland
Juzmo said:
Raanta's agent confirms that Antti will be going to NA for next season. Negotiations of the contract will start after the World Championships and around five teams are interested in him.

Source (in Finnish): http://www.iltasanomat.fi/mmkiekko/art-1288562944954.html
Click to expand...

Just came to post the same link.

Briefly translated to English:

-Raanta's agent says Raanta can basically select his NHL team, there's so much interest.

-The contract negotiations will take place after World Championships

-The was no needs of specific marketing of Raanta, because he's the best goalie in Europe and European goalies have high reputation.

-Agent won't reveal which teams are interested. It is about five teams.

Jussi said:
Yup, it's only his previous club(s). Hence the Finnish term "kasvattajaraha/-korvaus".
Click to expand...

Isn't HIFK his previous club? Does being previous club require that the player has actually played there?

Personally I am an Ässät-fan, so I really hope you are right, just try to ensure that it goes the way you say. I can't argue it doesn't.
 

Temego

Registered User
Mar 8, 2011
438
0
Interested in seeing how far this guy takes the finns. His sv% this season (ALL games) is something absolutely ridicilous like 95. If he keeps up with that, Finland could upset some big teams regardless of how mediocre their roster is this year.

It's insane how Finland has like 10 world class goalies. Rinne, Rask, Niemi and Lehtonen are arguably all top 10 in the world. Kipper's retiring, but then there's these guys playing in Europe like Raanta, Rämö and Vehanen etc. Not to mention some of the young guys with potential; Aittokallio, Ortio, Koskinen..
 

tikkanen5rings*

Guest
Temego said:
Interested in seeing how far this guy takes the finns. His sv% this season (ALL games) is something absolutely ridicilous like 95. If he keeps up with that, Finland could upset some big teams regardless of how mediocre their roster is this year.

It's insane how Finland has like 10 world class goalies. Rinne, Rask, Niemi and Lehtonen are arguably all top 10 in the world. Kipper's retiring, but then there's these guys playing in Europe like Raanta, Rämö and Vehanen etc. Not to mention some of the young guys with potential; Aittokallio, Ortio, Koskinen..
Click to expand...

That's because we have the worst defense men in the world.
 
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