If Antti Raanta had played 10-15 more games last season at the pace he played the rest of the year, he probably would have won the Vezina Trophy.
Those 10-15 games might seem insignificant, but it’s uncharted territory for Raanta, who signed a three-year extension with the Coyotes this offseason. If Raanta is to prove himself as an elite goaltender, he’ll need to venture into the unknown.
And if the Coyotes have any chance at their first playoff berth since the 2011-12 season, they’ll need Raanta to do just that.
The Coyotes were 21-17-6 in games Raanta started last season and were 8-24-6 in games he did not.