After the end of the 2022-23 season, it was unclear what the Carolina Hurricanes would do with their goaltender situation. The tandem that’s been the backbone of the Hurricanes the last couple of seasons, Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta, were both going to be unrestricted free agents (UFA). There were some uncertainties if either one or both would be back for the upcoming 2023-24 season. Carolina gave Pyotr Kochetkov a four-year extension in Dec. 2022 that starts this season at $2 million per year. It was assumed that one of them would be back with Kotchetkov’s new deal in place. However, on the first day of free agency, the Hurricanes made some moves that took fans and the league by surprise.
The Tandem is Reunited
The Hurricanes on the first day shocked their fans and the league by re-signing both Andersen and Raanta. The first of the two that was re-signed was Andersen who received a two-year deal earning $3.4 million per season. Later that day, Raanta was re-signed for a one-year, $1.5 million deal. What makes this complicated, or interesting depending on who you ask, is what the Hurricanes will do now with Andersen, Raanta, and Kotchetkov all signed for the next season.
The Hurricanes currently do not have an American Hockey League (AHL) which leaves general manager Don Waddell to find a team to possibly loan players out to. There have been talks that Waddell has plans in place to loan Kochetkov to another team’s AHL affiliate if the Hurricanes think sending him down to get playing time will help. However, there is the possibility that the Hurricanes could go into the season with three goalies. The only thing with that is how will the team be able to give time to each goalie.
If the Hurricanes do go with the option to have only Andersen and Raanta on the roster, they are definitely in good hands. Looking back on last season, Andersen only managed to play in 34 regular-season games since he was hurt. However, he did finish the season with a record of 21-11-1 with a goals-against average (GAA) of 2.48 and a .903 save percentage (SV%). Compared to his first season in Carolina, Andersen had a relatively good regular season, but he went to another level during the playoffs.
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During the 2023 NHL Playoffs, Andersen posted a 5-3 record with a .927 SV% and an astounding 1.83 GAA. In any playoffs, if the Hurricanes won, Andersen would get the Conn Smythe; he played otherworldly hockey during the playoffs. Unfortunately, they caught the red-hot Florida Panthers at the wrong time.
When it comes to Raanta, he had a home record that can only be described as sensational. During the 19 games that he started at home in PNC Arena, he went undefeated in those 19 games. Despite the record at home, he did not manage to win a game on the road. Nonetheless, Raanta finished the season with a 19-3-3 record with a .910 SV% and a 2.23 GAA. In the playoffs, he went 3-3 with a .909 SV% and a 2.48 GAA. Compared to the season before in the playoffs, he was the one who carried Carolina in the postseason.
While last year was a great season for the tandem, nothing will compare to how the two did the season before during 2021-22. Andersen and Raanta went on to make history that season as a goalie tandem in their first season with a new team.
Andersen & Raanta Sets Sights on Jennings Trophy
Coming into the 2023-24 season, the tandem will be going into their third season together as the one-two punch for Carolina who won a Jennings Trophy for the least number of goals allowed back in 2021-22. Andersen and Raanta that season allowed only 202 goals that year. Furthermore, they were the first tandem in history to win the Jennings Trophy in their first season on a new team.
There is something to be said that there is an opportunity for them to do it again. If the Hurricanes can get the 2021-22 Andersen and the 2022-23 Raanta, there’s a chance that the duo could possibly win the Jennings again. Carolina used five goalies during the 2021-22 season, Andersen (52 games, 111 goals allowed) and Raanta (28 games, 62 goals allowed) got the Jennings as a tandem for playing almost all of that season. Andersen that season went 35-14-3 while Raanta finished with a 15-5-4 record. If those two can replicate it again, there’s no telling how far ahead they might be at the end of the season.
As long as both Andersen and Raanta can stay healthy, they have a chance to win the Jennings Trophy. However, over their first two seasons in Carolina, both goalies have suffered injuries each season. During both years, the Hurricanes had to lean on Kochetkov in some capacity. Extending Kochetkov does give Carolina some breathing room to give Andersen and Raanta some rest as well if needed. It all depends on how Carolina wants to use their goalies this season. Either way, in whatever way Carolina wants to use their goalies, there is a great chance for Andersen and Raanta to capture the magic again and win the Jennings Trophy a second time in three seasons.
It all comes down to limiting soft goals, limiting power-play opportunities for opponents, and staying healthy for the whole season. If they can manage that, expect Carolina to be bringing home the Jennings Trophy once again on the backs of Andersen and Raanta.
