Islanders prospect Aatu Raty getting look at Bridgeport
Islanders forward Aatu Raty (61) controls the puck against the New York Rangers during the second period of an NHL preseason game at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY, on Sunday, Sep 26, 2021. Credit: Brad Penner
It’s all about next season now for the Islander, which is why the organization is eager to gauge Finnish forward Aatu Raty’s progress.
The Islanders announced before Tuesday night’s game against the Eastern Conference-leading Panthers at UBS Arena that their highest pick in the 2021 NHL draft – 52nd overall – had been assigned to their AHL affiliate in Bridgeport after Raty completed his season in Finland’s SM-liiga.
Bridgeport has two games remaining, on Friday and Saturday, and must win both to secure a playoff berth. Raty is eligible for the AHL postseason.
He is somewhat of a unique prospect in the Islanders’ organization.
“He’s an important prospect for us because there’s not a lot of young guys in terms of the high-end ability,” coach Barry Trotz said. “There’s some good prospects, but in different positions. Really, that high-end type of guy, he seems to be the one name.”
The 6-foot, 180-pound Raty was, at one point, considered likely to be drafted high in the first round before his stock slipped and he was available to the Islanders deep into the second round.
Trotz liked what he saw in September’s training camp. But the 19-year-old Raty, who signed a three-year, $2.775 million entry-level deal on Aug. 14, returned to Finland to start his third season with Karpat. He struggled with just one assist in six games before being traded to Jukurit Mikkell, where his game blossomed under coach Olli Jokinen, a former Islander. Raty compiled 13 goals and 27 assists in 41 games for his new team, earning a late-season North American audition.
“Since he got traded, he stepped into a real prime spot and has had a terrific year,” Trotz said.
Trotz admitted he didn’t follow Raty’s season in Finland closely, just getting scouting reports from president and general manager Lou Lamoriello. But Trotz saw Raty working on the ice at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow on Monday.
“He was on the ice for a little bit and he looks stronger,” Trotz said. “He looks bigger. He looks like he’s the player that everybody expected when he was drafted. We’ll see what he does in Bridgeport, that’s the first transition.”
Trotz added there were no plans that he was aware of to have Raty play for the Islanders in any of their remaining games.
Notes & quotes: Goalie Semyon Varlamov backed up Ilya Sorokin after missing the previous two games with a stomach illness.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
