Young Forward Aatu Räty Makes It Clear to the Vancouver Canucks Where He Thinks He Should Play This Season
Photo credit: Bob Frid - Imagn Images.
Vancouver Canucks forward Aatu Raty believes that he is ready for a full-time role in the National Hockey League after spending most of last year in the AHL.
The Vancouver Canucks' goal this summer was to add a second line centerman to their group and with Patrik Allvin not able to do so heading into training camp, it means that Filip Chytil will begin the year in that 2C hole.
Now that Chytil is slotted in on the second line rather than the third, it opens up a spot down the middle for one of Vancouver's younger players to grab in training camp and after back-to-back seasons of solid production in the AHL, Finnish forward Aatu Raty appears ready to make the jump on a full-time basis.
Vancouver Canucks' Aatu Raty believes he's ready for full-time NHL role
Tomorrow will mark the official start of Vancouver's season as the team's players, prospects and staff gather in Penticton, British Columbia for training camp and while there are several storylines worth monitoring, such as Elias Pettersson's bounce back and Thatcher Demko returning to full healthy, the most interesting one is going to be how the bottom-six shakes out before October 9th.
Aatu Raty is one of those that is vying for a spot in the bottom-six, likely as the team's third line center as mentioned earlier, and the 22-year-old recently spoke with The Province about his goals heading into the new season, one of which is to stick around in Vancouver full-time.
"I just want to have the same mindset as last camp. Wanting to prove a lot, but not thinking about it when you go to make a pass. You want to put pressure on yourself, but it's going through your routine every day. I don't put too much thought into it because I've put the work in. I've done the process, now it's time to go and show it." Raty said.
He added, "In that regard, I'm not nervous at all. I know I've done every step right and am as ready as I can be for my age. So many players are good enough to play in the NHL, but aren't here. I definitely think the games I played last year showed I'm good enough. A year older, a year better. I'm ready for it."
He added, "In that regard, I'm not nervous at all. I know I've done every step right and am as ready as I can be for my age. So many players are good enough to play in the NHL, but aren't here. I definitely think the games I played last year showed I'm good enough. A year older, a year better. I'm ready for it."
One big thing that is helping Raty's chances of being on the Canucks' opening night roster this fall is is the change in his waiver status this summer, as the Oulu native will now have to be placed on the wire in order to be sent down to Abbotsford in the AHL.
The odds of Raty clearing waivers this fall, or at any point during the 2025-26 season, is extremely slim and for that reason alone, it makes a lot of sense to have him on the opening night roster in the third line role.
Source: Ben Kuzma/The Province
Canucks: Why Aatu Räty is centre of attention to secure a roster spot
Canucks: Why Aatu Räty is centre of attention to secure a roster spot
Previously on CanucksDaily
| POLL | ||
SEPTEMBRE 17 | 1080 ANSWERS Young Forward Aatu Räty Makes It Clear to the Vancouver Canucks Where He Thinks He Should Play This Season Do you think Aatu Raty will spend the entire 2025-26 season in the NHL? | ||
| Yes | 787 | 72.9 % |
| No | 293 | 27.1 % |
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