Aatu Räty is Developing His NHL Identity Through Team-First Focus and Detail

Throughout a hockey season, players often move up and down the lineup, and at times, it can be challenging to find chemistry. However, sometimes things just click.

Aatu Räty has played over 20 minutes of five-on-five ice time with six different forwards this season and has had a positive control of the goal share with five of them.

With Räty’s spot in the centre depth chart, linemates come and go like rain clouds through Vancouver – sometimes they last a day, but sometimes they last for weeks. Räty doesn’t mind the fluidity with his linemates and says that he has enjoyed every line he’s been a part of this season.

Drew O’Connor has been the most consistent linemate for Räty this season, and the duo feels good about their ability to funnel pucks into the offensive zone and then turn those possessions into scoring chances.

Recently, O’Connor has been rewarded for his hard work, scoring four goals and adding three assists for a total of seven points in his last seven games. Räty says he felt that coming on as he and O’Connor continued to grow chemistry as the season progressed.

“We’ve gotten one percent better every day as a duo, and between games three to ten, we just couldn’t find goals. We knew we were right there, and now we’re seeing there are times where you are just hot and then you score a lot,” said Räty.

He added that it’s interesting because you can just keep playing the same way, but when you get a few good bounces, those scoring chances can quickly turn into goals.

Over the past two games, Jake DeBrusk has joined the Räty-O’Connor duo, and the line has found immediate success as a trio.

In 25:42 of five-on-five ice time together, the line has outscored its opposition 2-1 and has 15 scoring chances while only giving up six.

“JD knew our mentality is to be really simple and try to outwork the opponent,” said Räty. “We get our chances from there, and we also try to be really solid in our own end, which I think we’ve done.”

Räty added that sometimes a new line can take some time to gel, and there needs to be lots of discussion on the bench during games. He thinks this trio has done a good job of addressing something small after many of their shifts, and trying not to over-communicate and complicate the way their line wants to play.

“JD and OC are very detail-oriented guys, and those are the types of players that I like playing with,” said Räty.

The 22-year-old centre has continued to carve out a niche in the Canucks lineup and continues to try to add value to the team. He has the third-best shorthanded faceoff percentage (61%) in the league (minimum of 30).

“I just listen to what our team needs and react from there. I have my own little things that I am working on during the year, but I think I feel it’s really important to be listening in the meetings. I write down a lot of what we are working on as a team and what we want from specific guys in certain situations, and then try to be very mindful when those play out in games.”

Räty wants to stay focused on being a team player and continue to be valuable on an NHL roster. Whether it’s O’Connor and DeBrusk on his wing or any other set of linemates, Räty is eager to show his stuff and continue to develop his identity at the NHL level.