Canucks prospects: Newest addition Aatu Raty to be sent to Abbotsford


Raty, 20, has two goals in 12 games with the New York Islanders this season and instantly becomes one of the Canucks’ top prospects.

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The Abbotsford Canucks’ lineup just got stronger as the team enters the stretch drive of the season.

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Vancouver Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin announced on Monday that Aatu Raty — a key piece in the Bo Horvat trade — will be assigned to the AHL club.

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“We’re going to assign him to Abbotsford, and as a first-year pro, he played really well at the world juniors last summer and really strong in Finland,” said Allvin. “Educating him on how we want to play and for him to settle in with the system before he plays here.”

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“For a young player to step in from Europe and play as well as he has in 12 games with New York, is pretty impressive. But it’s up to develop him to become a full-time NHL player.”

Raty, 20, has two goals in 12 games with the New York Islanders this season and instantly becomes one of the Canucks’ top prospects.

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In 27 games with the AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders, Raty had 15 points (7-8) and a plus-3 rating.

Raty was originally selected by the Islanders 52nd overall at the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. He was projected to go much higher in the draft a year before, but a tough 2020-21 season saw the prospect slip down the draft board — out of the top 10, then into the second round.

Raty is a 6-foot-2, 190 pound centre who ranked second in team scoring for Mikkelin Jukurit in 2021-22 with 40 points (13-27) in only 41 games, for the second highest points-per-game average on the team (0.98). He has a heavy shot, is strong on his skates and likes to drive to the centre of the ice.

The Oulunsalo native has also appeared on the international stage with Finland multiple times, including earning silver at the World U-17 Hockey Challenge and collecting three points (2-1) at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship.

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Aatu Raty takes a shot against Logan Thompson of the Vegas Golden Knights at the UBS Arena on January 28, 2023 in Elmont, New York.
Aatu Raty takes a shot against Logan Thompson of the Vegas Golden Knights at the UBS Arena on January 28, 2023 in Elmont, New York. Photo by Bruce Bennett /Getty Images

With the addition of Raty, the Abbotsford lineup now features a bevy of young talent, with Vasily Podkolzin and Nils Hoglander expected to remain with the club.

“We want them … in Abbotsford right now, and if those opportunities come and they’re earned, great. It’s a great problem to have,” Abbotsford Canucks GM Ryan Johnson told Postmedia on Friday. “But we’re really sitting here right now excited at what they’re doing and the opportunities and the growth that they’re having in Abbotsford.”

Abbotsford plays three games this week — on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday — before the AHL enters its one-week All-Star break.

The team is 23-15-2-2 and in fourth place in the 10-team Pacific Division. There are 30 games left to play in the regular season.

— with a file from Ben Kuzma

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