Goalie Injury Notes: Raanta, Lehner, Price

As if the Carolina Hurricanes needed more bad luck with their goaltenders after Frederik Andersen went down with an injury earlier this week, today’s victory over the New York Islanders brought more injury trouble. Antti Raanta, the team’s starter with Andersen out, left the game versus the Islanders in clear lower-body discomfort. Raanta had attempted to remain in the game after initially feeling pain, but was forced out after only a few moments and backup Pyotr Kochetkov finished the game. After the game, Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour had the following to say about Raanta:

I don’t know. And I don’t know how bad Raants is. I’m hoping it’s not too serious. We’ll know more in a few days.

Obviously, this is not a confidence-inspiring statement. But one has to keep in mind that Brind’Amour made these comments immediately after the game, so it is likely that he did not have enough information to make a more definitive statement on Raanta’s health. Carolina has big hopes for this season and is in a fight with the New York Rangers in what remains of this season to lock up the Metropolitan Division title. Raanta has battled injury issues throughout his NHL career, so this development cannot be a shocking one for the team, but it does come at an extremely unfortunate time with Raanta thrust into the number-one role with Andersen’s injury. For Carolina, this injury scare is ideally only a momentary setback, given that having Raanta back in time for Tuesday’s contest against the Rangers (where Carolina can clinch the Metropolitan Division title with a win in any fashion) is of utmost importance for the team.

Here are some other injury updates on goalies across the NHL:

• Another twist in the ongoing Robin Lehner saga came during today’s Vegas Golden Knights morning skate. Lehner was not present, instead, only Logan Thompson and the team’s emergency backup were in attendance, per Jesse Granger of The Athletic. Golden Knights coach Pete DeBoer stated that for tonight’s all-important contest against the San Jose Sharks, Thompson would be the starter and Lehner would be the backup. Obviously, given prior reporting on Lehner getting season-ending surgery and his absence from the morning skate today, the prospect of Lehner being the backup for tonight’s game is a confusing one. The entire situation is likely to become a lot clearer by the time puck drops tonight, though.
• The Canadiens recalled goalie Cayden Primeau from the Laval Rocket on an emergency basis in advance of tonight’s game against the Boston Bruins, and there was speculation on what that recall meant for the recently returned goalie Carey Price. Price was unavailable to the media after the team’s loss to the Ottawa Senators because he was receiving treatments from trainers, according to Sportsnet’s Eric Engels. Coach Martin St. Louis stated that the callup was not indicative of an injury-related setback for Price, but instead a measure to give him rest as he settles into the rigors of NHL action. Per St. Louis, Price will not travel with the team to New York for their tie against the Rangers but speculates that he could play on Friday in the team’s season finale versus the Florida Panthers.