Follow me on Twitter @ToddCordell …‹ Over the last few weeks the Calgary Flames have been linked to several goaltenders (most notably Ben Bishop) and that will continue until, well, they find a new starter.
One goaltender I haven't really seen mentioned who I think is worth considering: Antti Raanta of the New York Rangers.
I'm not sure GM Brad Treliving has the stomach to take a chance on another goaltender without a proven track record as a starter but I think Raanta has shown enough for a team to give him a chance as 'the guy'.
Since the beginning of the 2014-15 season, Raanta has appeared in 69 games. During that stretch, he has posted a .924 save percentage (behind only Carey Price and Matt Murray) and a .934 save percentage at 5v5 (again, 3rd behind Price and Murray).
Raanta's sample size isn't large but he has certainly made the most of the games he's been able to get into.
The Rangers have to expose Raanta in the expansion draft and there's a good chance they lose him for nothing (.924 goaltending at a cheap price is very attractive). Knowing that, I think they'd prefer to trade him to a team in need of goaltending help and pick up an asset in the process.
If the Flames were to trade for Raanta I don't think it would cost all that much and he carries a cap hit of just $1 million. Raanta starting with, say, Chad Johnson backing up would give the Flames a very cheap platoon, which would allow them to spend their money addressing other needs (like a top-4 defenseman to play with T.J. Brodie).
I doubt Treliving goes down that road -- I think he has his sights set on a bigger name -- but I think it's one worth considering.
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