Ex-Blackhawks Goalie Accused Of Rooting Against The Team During The Playoffs

By Kate Shepherd in News on Sep 2, 2015 9:23PM

The Chicago Blackhawks suffered from weak team spirit at times in their Stanley Cup run, and goalie Antti Raanta actually rooted against his own team in the playoffs, Raanta reportedly told Finnish newspaper Ilta-Sanomat.

"I was really hoping Nashville would beat us in four games and I could get back to Finland," he allegedly said, according to Yahoo Sports. "I was [so pissed off] about how Chicago was treating me."

Raanta lost his back-up goalie role to Scott Darling during the 2014-2015 season after being seen as a potential replacement for starter Corey Crawford. He only played in 14 games and didn't take the ice at all in the playoffs. Darling played in five postseason games.

"I noticed that the coach didn't like me, in that position it is pretty difficult to fight the windmills," he is quoted saying.

Raanta was traded in June to the New York Rangers but still spent a day with the Stanley Cup in July in Finland.

Antti Raanta poses with one of his biggest fans in hometown of Rauma. #stanleycup @HockeyHallFame @NHLBlackhawks pic.twitter.com/MLT26OtLB1

— Philip Pritchard (@keeperofthecup) July 23, 2015

He denied making the comments to the Sun-Times' Mark Lazerus. Lazerus said he believes the truth may lay somewhere in between the paper's quotes and Raanta's denial.

I have no reason to doubt the reporter. I have no reason to doubt Raanta. I'm sure the truth is somewhere in between. Angry, not hostile.

— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) September 2, 2015