Aatu Raty, Parker Wotherspoon make NHL debuts for Islanders

The traditional, pregame rookie lap had two participants on Friday.

Aatu Raty, the Islanders’ top pick in the 2021 draft, and defenseman Parker Wotherspoon, who has already played 293 games for the organization’s AHL affiliate in Bridgeport over eight seasons, both made their NHL debuts in Friday night’s game against the Panthers at UBS Arena.

Both were recalled earlier in the day. Fourth-line center Casey Cizikas (upper body) was injured in Thursday night’s 5-3 loss to the rival Rangers at Madison Square Garden and defenseman Robin Salo was benched in the third period.

Raty, a 20-year-old Finnish center selected 52nd overall after initially being projected as a first-round selection, is the more anticipated prospect.

He joined the organization late last season after completing his season in Finland’s SM-liiga and putting together a strong performance in the World Junior Championships in Canada. He compiled three goals and seven assists in seven games to help Finland earn the silver medal.

“He’s an important prospect for us because there’s not a lot of young guys in terms of the high-end ability,” former Islanders coach Barry Trotz said of Raty in April. “There’s some good prospects but in different positions. Really, that high-end type of guy, he seems to be the one name.”

Trotz’s successor, Lane Lambert, said the reports on Raty have been encouraging from Bridgeport, where he has five goals and seven assists in 23 games.

“He’s played really well in Bridgeport,” Lambert said. “He’s a 200-foot player. He plays both sides of the puck and he’s played in all situations down there. For me, what I’ve seen is his compete level is very, very high. He’s having success and it will translate here.”

The Islanders are hoping Raty can meet his projection and develop into a top-six forward. He is a strong skater with a good shot, vision and stickhandling to go along with being defensively responsible. He had a strong training camp with the Islanders.

For his debut, Lambert started him in Cizikas’ spot between Matt Martin and Hudson Fasching and there’s no telling how long this call-up will last.

“I think there’s always a little bit of excitement, certainly from him and us to see just exactly how it translates,” Lambert said. “But we have full confidence in him.”

Lambert also plugged in Wotherspoon for Salo, who the past seven games filled in for Adam Pelech (suspected head injury) and was  Ryan Pulock’s partner.

Salo got turned around at the Islanders blue line and let the Rangers’ Julien Gauthier skate by to tie Thursday’s game at 2-2 at 5:30 of the second period. Salo also couldn’t budge Barclay Goodrow at the crease as he tipped Gauthier’s shot from the left point to tie it at 3-3 at 3:00 of the third period.

That was Salo’s last shift.

Salo, 24, a second-round pick in 2017 also from Finland, is a slick skater but is still adapting to the more physical North American game after just joining the organization last season. He earned a spot in the Islanders’ top six defensemen out of training camp before being supplanted by Sebastian Aho after four games.

Now Wotherspoon is getting a chance.

“Parker has been in the organization a long time,” Lambert said. “He’s earned and deserves an opportunity. Robin is continuing to grow as a player. It’s part of the young player’s process.”

Wotherspoon was a fourth-round pick in 2015 who can play with a physical edge. He has one goal and 11 assists in 27 games for Bridgeport this season after compiling three goals and 21 assists with a career-high 127 penalty minutes last season.

By Andrew Gross

andrew.gross@newsday.comAGrossNewsday

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.