Livescore
The Canucks have a new prospect fans can keep their eyes on.
The team completed a trade on Monday with the Islanders, sending captain and pending UFA Bo Horvat to Long Island for forward Anthony Beauvillier, a conditional 2023 first-round pick and prospect Aatu Räty.
Räty, 20, is a name that may be familiar to some already. The Finnish center was once regarded as a potential top pick in the 2021 draft but eventually fell to the Islanders in the second round. He gives the Canucks’ prospect pool the boost that it needs.
Canucks fans may have to wait a bit to see him in NHL action. GM Patrik Allvin said on Monday that Räty is going to head to the AHL to play with the Abbotsford Canucks. It gives him a chance to gel with fellow prospects Nils Höglander, Vasili Podkolzin, Jack Rathbone and Danila Klimovich.
MORE: Bo Horvat trade grades for Canucks, Islanders
Here are five facts to know about Räty.
Five facts to know about Aatu Räty
1. Räty was once considered a potential No. 1 pick
Let’s flashback to the 2018-19 season when Räty was a 16-year-old playing in Finland’s U20 junior league. That’s when his stock began to skyrocket.
With Kärpät’s U20 team, Räty had 17 goals and 31 points in just 41 games, excelling against kids up to three years older than him. He eventually worked his way up to Kärpät’s pro team the next season. He was strong in his international play, putting him in the conversation as the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft.
Then, everything fell apart. Räty’s production plummeted and so did his confidence. The attention he gained from the media did not help, as expectations were already being placed on him despite being two years away from his eligible draft.
He was left off of Finland’s 2021 World Juniors roster, kept falling down draft boards and slid out of the first round of the 2021 draft. The Islanders eventually took him in the second round with the 52nd pick.
Since then, Räty’s progression has been positive and he has been a solid player since coming over to North America.
2. He is a high-IQ player
There’s a lot to like about Räty’s game. He has solid hands, a plus shot and can drive play through the middle of the ice. His skating is his weakness, but it has come along since his draft year.
But Räty’s IQ is what stands out. He makes smart plays by utilizing either his size or his skillset to create opportunities for himself and his teammates. And his awareness without the puck to get in position to make a play is also a key component of his game.
This is what current Islanders forward Kyle Palmieri had to say at the beginning of the year:
He plays a really mature game. He’s dynamic, he’s got a great shot, and for a centerman, he knows how to think the game. Obviously, there’s some things playing in the (defensive) zone that it takes some time getting used to. Coming from the leagues over in Europe, it’s different. But he’s built really well, he works super hard.
3. He is currently the only Finn in the Canucks organization
Finland is one of the top countries in producing NHLers. According to QuantHockey, there are currently 49 active Finnish players in the league, marking the fifth-highest total for a country in the 2022-23 season.
However, Räty does not have any countrymen to turn to in the Canucks organization. Vancouver does not have any players from Finland on either its NHL or AHL roster this season to join the native of Oulu.
The last Finn to play for the Canucks was Juho Lammikko last season. He skated in 75 games for Vancouver during the 2021-22 season, his lone year with the organization. This offseason, he signed with the ZSC Lions in the Swiss National League.
With that said, Vancouver has recently drafted Finnish prospects. The Canucks took Finnish goalie Aku Koskenvuo in the fifth round of the 2021 draft, and defenseman Joni Jurmo in the third round in 2020, but both are unsigned.
4. Räty scored one of his two NHL goals against the Canucks
Spencer Martin is already all too familiar with Räty’s scoring ability.
Räty made his NHL debut earlier this season, getting the call-up to play in the Islanders’ game against the Panthers on Dec. 23. It didn’t take the youngster long to make an impact, scoring in his debut.
Aatu Raty scores in his NHL debut pic.twitter.com/HKkBSEcCu3
— Shayna (@hayyyshayyy) December 24, 2022
After the Christmas break, the Islanders headed to the Northwest for a four-game road trip. The Isles and Canucks played on Jan. 3, with the Finnish forward opening the scoring for New York in the second period.
Aatu Raty’s making quite the impression for the @NYIslanders. 🔵🟠
The 20-year-old’s already got two goals five games into his NHL career. pic.twitter.com/exE1NzSrgb
— NHL (@NHL) January 4, 2023
The Islanders went on to win 6-2, ironically with Horvat scoring the only two Vancouver goals.
5. How to pronounce Aatu Räty
Canucks fans, you might be looking at that name and trying to decipher how to pronounce it. Never fear, it’s a lot easier than it may seem.
While the ending of his first and last name have different vowels, both are pronounced the exact same — AH-too RAH-too.
It makes for a pretty fun name to say that rolls off the tongue easily.
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