GENE'S BLOG: If at first you don't succeed Ty, Ty again

The Edmonton Oilers had the day off Friday. At some point in camp with all the practices, games and travel, it's a necessity to give everyone a break. Not only do the players need it, but the coaches as well. I mean, what was once 62 players has been whittled down but there are jobs to be won and lost. Todd McLellan and his staff actually need time to assess those that are still here. I wonder what their assessment was like regarding Ty Rattle. You could say he had a 5-Star performance Thursday night in a 7-3 win against Winnipeg.

One star for every point he had. 2 goals-3 assists(not to mention 6 shots). Ty Rattle looked like he's been on a line with Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins since well before last spring when a late season audition went well enough that Rattie was slotted on the right wing. A few months of downtime wasn't enough to change the coaches mind about giving the winger another shot. He has not disappointed in fact he's seizing the moment and the opportunity that comes with being on a line with the two time defending Art Ross Trophy winner.

After his five-point night versus Winnipeg, Rattie was asked when was the last time that happened and he said in bantam. He might have had a few of them when Ty played bantam hockey for the Airdrie Xtreme. He went from rookie of the year in 2007 to league MVP in 2008. He piled up 75 goals in 33 games. He chipped in with 56 assists for an eye-popping 131-point season. No wonder he was the Most Valuable Player. He moved to the midget ranks and put away another 29 goals in 34 games before being summoned by Portland of the Western Hockey League. As a Winterhawk, he had a 57-goal, 121-point season and had another one where he potted 110 points. I think by now you're getting the point about his goals and points.
It led him to be a second round pick of St. Louis and he promptly put in another 31 goals in his first season of pro hockey. Sounds like about 31 reasons to warrant a promotion but Rattie's NHL experience came in trickles. Two games, 11 games, 13 games and then four more his last season with the Blues. Next came Carolina and it was five more NHL games before he landed in Edmonton. Not right away but eventually Rattie got promoted. It was his second call up where he found traction and Connor McDavid. Five goals and four assists was his total after 14 games with Edmonton.
Ty Rattie is an offensively gifted player. He has been his whole life. He has scored at every level but one. Now that is starting to happen as well. He's a great example that in pro sports the sometimes ripe old age of 25 isn't the end of a career but quite likely the beginning. Rattie should be a shining example to those who don't succeed in life that if at first you don't succeed Ty, Ty again.