Aatu Räty

November 2024 – Following an impressive 2023-24 campaign in Abbotsford, Räty made the opening night roster for the Canucks in 2024-25. Räty impressed throughout the preseason, as he showed tenacity and a solid two-way game. Räty again played well in the first three regular season games. He tallied just one point but made strong plays along the boards and in the defensive zone. However, he struggled to stay consistent from shift to shift, which ultimately led to him being sent back down. In Abbotsford, Räty dominates games. He drives plays offensively and is a step ahead of everyone when on the ice. Räty should be featured more often in Vancouver as the season progresses. Nick Orr 

April 2024 – In his first full season with the Canucks organization, Raty absolutely explodes offensively in the AHL. In the 68 games he played, he tallied 33 assists and 51 points. Additionally, when Raty was on the ice, Abbotsford scored 59% of the goals, which is 9.7% higher than when he was not on the ice. Raty’s season makes him an intriguing player to watch in next season’s training camp. Cedrick Blais-Turcotte

May 2023 – Raty showed promise while debuting in Abbotsford, displaying great vision, hands, passing ability, and defensive awareness. Of course, his usual knock has been, and continues to be, in the skating department. When at his best, his ability to think the game is what separates him from other prospects among the depth pool and when paired with a sufficient scorer, the potential to produce kicks into high gear. Although, over 25 games, Raty recorded just two goals and 10 assists with the baby Canucks, which could be attributed to adjusting to a new system mid-season and struggling to get into high-impact areas on the ice. Standing at 6-foot-2 and weighing 187 pounds, there is certainly potential to blossom into the Canucks’ future third-line center, assuming his skating improves. However, expect him to marinate for one more year, while he continues to grow his developing game. Dave Hall

January 2023 – Raty was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in the Bo Horvat deal. Raty will remain in the AHL for now with the Abbotsford Canucks but should get a recall before the season ends to allow the Canucks to get a good look at him. Peter Harling

December 2022- Raty seems to have an on-again-off-again relationship with his hockey career. He started off as a highly touted prospect in his draft minus one season, then fell quite famously to the Islanders at 52nd overall in 2021. Last season was a big rebound for him as he scored at just under a point per game in the Liga, but he has yet to find his stride on North American ice. He is currently 13th on Bridgeport in scoring, with just four goals and four assists through 18 games. Graham Montgomery

June 2022 – Although Bridgeport fell to Charlotte in the AHL’s semi-finals after eliminating Providence in the opening round, the 19-year-old had a goal and three assists in six post-season outings. That’s encouraging. Mark Allan

May 2022 – When he seemed lost in six Liiga games on loan to Karpat, Räty opened eyes in Finland’s top men’s league with 13 goals and 40 points in 41 outings with Jukurit. Easily the Isles’ top prospect, albeit in a shallow pool, he parlayed size, vision and playmaking ability to earn a three-year, entry-level deal. Getting into two late-season games with Bridgeport, the 19-year-old then posted a goal and two assists in his first three AHL playoff appearances. His first full pro campaign will be revealing. Mark Allan

March 2022 – Forced to miss the WJC due to COVID, the 19-year-old had a respectable six points in 35 games last season against the hardened men of Finland’s top league. Räty began 2021-22 with only one assist in six appearances, again on loan to Karpat, before switching to Jukurit in the Liiga and regaining his mojo with 12 goals and 20 assists in 35 games so far. Twenty points in just 11 junior outings helps the second-rounder’s reputation as possibly the steal of the 2021 NHL draft. Mark Allan

October 2021 – Before he was loaned to Liiga powerhouse Oulun Kärpät in his Finnish homeland, Räty impressed the coaching staff and fellow players alike at the Islanders’ training camp. Just 18, the second-round draft pick this year displayed competitiveness, hockey IQ, maturity, poise and skill. His talented hands certainly helped with faceoffs. Although he didn’t register a point in either of the Isles’ first two pre-season outings, he held his own in puck battles. Mark Allan

August 2021 – The Isles moved quickly to sign their second-round pick to a three-year, entry-level contract with an affordable AAV of $925,000. The 18-year-old center was highly regarded after a promising 2019-20 campaign with Finland’s Karpat organization. His stock fell when he mustered just six points in 35 appearances, although that was against the men of his country’s best league. The Isles clearly believe in his package of skating, hands, size and hockey IQ. Mark Allan

July 2021 – Räty was selected in the second round, 52nd overall by the New York Islanders in the 2021 NHL Draft. Nick Richard

February 2021 – Räty was left of the Finnish World Junior roster and as Michael Jordan would say, he took that personally. His play in the Liiga since January has been much stronger and more resemblant of the player that we all thought he was coming into the year. He may not be in contention for number one but should he keep up this improved play, he should be able to stay in the conversation in the top 10. There is still a solid two-way center with a wicked wrister that can be had by whoever drafts Räty. It’s going to be interesting to see how the up-and-down Finn finishes the year. Tony Ferrari 

November 2020 – It has been something of an auspicious start to the Finnish forward’s draft-eligible campaign. Expected to take a leap forward against Liiga competition, Räty has struggled to maintain his spot in the Kärpät lineup. The result has been a demotion to the U20 circuit where he’s looked more like his old self, producing seven points in eight contests. Räty remains an explosive, two-way center in a class void of elite forward talent. Don’t let the slow start fool you, he is a projectable player with a high upside. Cam Robinson

August 2020 – Räty is the projected first overall pick for the 2021 NHL Draft at the start of his draft season but he’ll need to work hard to maintain that top spot throughout the season because he’s definitely not a lock to go first. Räty has all the tools to become a very good number one center in the NHL but consistency has been the main problem in his career so far. He had an excellent draft minus-two season in the Finnish junior league but couldn’t build on it in his draft minus-one season. He seemed to be trying to do too much and being in his head a bit too much. He did, however, get to play some games against men at the Liiga level, and he played an important role at the World Juniors as well. Räty is on the older side for his draft class but considering how long he’s been on the radar and where his game is at right now, it’s not a concern.

Räty’s most noticeable skill is his great skating ability. He utilizes his speed to enter the offensive zone with possession. Having great hands is obviously a big help in that as well. He’s good off the rush and he’s also good at the cycle game. Even though it doesn’t appear that way based on his numbers, he also owns a great wrist shot. But he is more of a playmaker who controls the pace of the game and drives the play up the ice. He is also a very solid 200-foot player as shown by his great performance in a defensive role at the World Juniors.

In his draft season, Räty is expected to be a full-time Liiga player. Because Kärpät is a very deep organization, he will likely play just a middle-six role all season long. Finding consistency in his level of play throughout the season will be key for him. Assuming the World Juniors are played this year, Räty is a lock for the Finnish roster and should play a big role there. On both teams, he’ll get to play with his older brother Aku who was drafted by Arizona in 2019.  Jokke Nevalainen