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Vancouver Canucks' PTO offer shot down by Thatcher Demko's hopeful replacement Antti Raanta
The Vancouver Canucks reached out to free agent goaltender Antti Raanta about coming to training camp on a professional tryout offer, but Raanta declined the opportunity.
The Canucks are searching for goaltending depth, with starter Thatcher Demko reportedly not ready for the start of training camp due to a knee injury from which he's still rehabbing (as per The Athletic's Thomas Drance).
With Demko's status uncertain for the start of the regular season, Vancouver has explored backup options like Raanta. The 35-year-old Finnish netminder revealed to Finnish newspaper Ilta Sanomat on Saturday that he spoke to Canucks GM Patrik Allvin and goalie coach Marko Torenius over Zoom about coming to camp.
However, Raanta isn't interested in returning to the NHL grind after 10 seasons split between the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, Arizona Coyotes and the Carolina Hurricanes.
He said that he has had a few inquiries from NHL teams this offseason, but at this stage of his career, he doesn't want to risk starting in the AHL. Raanta finished last season in the minors, which he said was fun but not something he wants to repeat.
“I don’t have that same fire anymore, to fight tooth and nail for a spot,” Raanta admitted.
Instead, he would prefer to play in Europe where he can spend more time with his family. Countries like Switzerland, Germany or the Czech Republic appeal to him more than another NHL season.
NHL analyst on Vancouver Canucks' interest in goaltender Kevin Lankinen
The Vancouver Canucks are looking to add free agent goalie Kevin Lankinen to their roster, as per NHL analyst Patrick Johnstons.
In the last two seasons, Lankinen served as Juuse Saros' backup at the Nashville Predators before spending two seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks. Johnston noted that the Canucks could sign Lankinen to a contract with a cap hit around $1 million,
"The Canucks could sign Lankinen to a contract with a cap hit up to just about $1 million and remain under the salary cap limit if they were to reassign a depth forward, likely either Phil Di Giuseppe or Nils Aman."
However, Johnston believes that if Lankinen was willing to play for that type of salary, he likely would have already signed a contract. The door appears open for the Vancouver Canucks to add Lankinen, but the goaltender's contract demands remain unclear.
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