Latvian Hockey News is quoting sources reporting that Latvian international Raitums, who turned the Rays season around upon signing in place of Swede Tommy Sandahl post-Christmas, is close to agreeing a deal to play in the eight team top flight in Kazakhstan.
Raitums posted a 3.43 goals against average and 89.8 save percentage in 22 games with the Rays last season but those stats tell just half the story. In reality the solid netminding of the Talsi native enabled the club to post a .500 record post-Christmas and enter the playoffs in good form. Although the playoffs ultimately ended in quarter final disappointment with a two legged defeat to the Coventry Blaze, Raitums posted an impressive 92.3 save percentage over the two games despite the Rays going out.
However, on seasons end coach Sylvain Cloutier could not agree to terms with the Latvian and instead turned his attentions to other targets, this month signing French-Canadian Christian Boucher in his place.
He will become the seventh Stingray to officially depart this summer and fourth within a week, joining former team mates Pavel Gomenyuk, George Halkidis, Jeff Glowa, James Hutchinson, Stephen Burns and Curtis Huppe in leaving Hull.
