Raanta injury has Coyotes planning goalie rotation, not seeking trade

BOSTON -- The Arizona Coyotes are looking at a three-goalie rotation for the foreseeable future with Antti Raanta out indefinitely, possibly the rest of the season, because of a lower-body injury.

Goalie Darcy Kuemper could start for the Coyotes against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; NESN, FS-A PLUS, NHL.TV). He was activated from injured reserve after missing the past eight games with a lower-body injury sustained during a 3-2 overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Nov. 21.
"I'd like to get Darcy in there and play some games," coach Rick Tocchet said Monday. "I think that it's an opportunity for him to take the lead.
"It's going to be a committee, but we've got to get [Kuemper] in there for sure and get him some games. He could be playing tomorrow night. We'll see how he reacts and then we'll talk to him tomorrow morning."
Kuemper is 4-5-2 with a 2.71 goals-against average and .914 save percentage in 11 games.

Arizona's other two goalie options are rookie Adin Hill and waiver pickup Calvin Pickard. Hill, who came on in relief of Raanta during a 4-3 win against the Minnesota Wild on Nov. 27, is 4-2-0 with a 1.62 GAA and .939 save percentage. He has lost his past two starts after winning his previous four.
"You can't change your approach," Hill said. "As soon as you start thinking about stuff happening off the ice or what they're thinking, that's when you mess up. I've just got to focus on myself and my game and try to make sure I'm working hard to get better each day, and when I get my opportunity in a game, try and shine."
Pickard has yet to play for the Coyotes since being claimed on waivers from the Philadelphia Flyers on Nov. 29. In 11 games with Philadelphia, he had a 4.01 GAA and .863 save percentage.
Raanta had a procedure Saturday that revealed more extensive damage than was anticipated. In the wake of his injury, general manager John Chayka told TSN that the Coyotes would not be in the goalie market.
"We're going to go with our internal options,'' Chayka said via text message.
Raanta had a 2.88 GAA in 12 games prior to his injury.

Despite the questions in goal, the Coyotes aren't cowering from the challenge ahead.
"Our conversations right now are about adversity," forward Derek Stepan said. "I'm a big believer in an opportunity that is a tough challenge but can start a tidal wave of momentum that's so big if you're able to come to the challenge and meet it."
That was the message Tocchet was looking to get across to his players.
"When it initially hits you, obviously it's bad news," Tocchet said. "The good news is that [Raanta's] going to get fixed up. So that's something.
"Like I was telling the team today, some adversity's going to hit our team. We've got some picking up to do and adversity can pull a team together. So that's what we're looking for."