NHL Team May Be Screwed Into Playing An ECHL Goalie After Risking It All

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James Connelly
December 16, 2023 (7:26 PM)

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The Carolina Hurricanes placed Antti Raanta on waivers today with his only replacement being a goaltender playing in the ECHL, Yaniv Perets.

Hurricanes May be Screwed Into Playing An ECHLer

Today, the Carolina Hurricanes shocked the hockey world by placing veteran goaltender Antti Raanta on waivers.

The #Canes have placed goaltender Antti Raanta on waivers.

In 14 games this season he has produced a record of 6-5-1 with a 3.61 goals against average (GAA) and an .854 save percentage (SV%).

Raanta has been one of the worst goaltenders in the NHL this season after posting a 19-3-3 record last year. With Raanta going on waivers, the Hurricanes risk him being claimed by any of the other 31 teams in the NHL. This risk is rather high considering the upside Raanta has shown and the amount of teams in need of goaltending right now.

Hurricanes May be Screwed Into Playing An ECHLer

If Raanta were to be claimed off of waivers, the Hurricanes only have one other goalie in their system that they can call up to the NHL, Yaniv Perets. Currently playing with the Norfolk Admirals of the ECHL, the jump to the NHL would be rather extreme for an undrafted free agent that the Hurricanes signed.

Perets is currently in his first professional season and has a 5-5-1 record along with a 2.38 GAA and a .916 sv%. These numbers are a bit of a step back from the numbers he posted in his final year of college as he went 34-4-3 while posting a 1.49 GAA and a .931 sv%.

If the Hurricanes do lose Raanta and if something were to happen to the current starter Pyotr Kochetkov, Perets would be subject to one of the steepest talent inclines in all of hockey and would surely be put in a difficult situation for any player let alone a goaltender.

We will find out tomorrow at 2pm if Raanta gets claimed or if every single team in the NHL will say they don't see a need for his talents.