The Toronto Maple Leafs recently made headlines in the trade universe once again, this time acquiring Aatu Raty from the Vancouver Canucks. The deal saw forwards Brandon Buhr and Jacob Quillan head to Canucks for the 52nd overall selection in 2021.
Many could admit that Raty is not a huge name on the market right now, nor one that many teams, if any, showed interest in. However, the Oulu, Finland, native brings something more to the team, which is why John Chayka acquired him.
Raty provides a solid piece for roster flexibility
The chances of the 23-year-old playing regularly in the Leafs lineup are slim. However, things happen. Unexpected injuries more often than not; just look at the John Tavares situation from last night. The move to acquire Raty could allow the Leafs to slot in another centerman, or forward in general, should an awkward injury were to take a member of the team.
He could very well just stay with the Toronto Marlies in the AHL for now, until needed. After all, Raty spent a chunk of time with the Bridgeport Islanders (now Hamilton Hammers) in the New York Islanders system and the Abbotsford Canucks in Vancouver's system.
The Fin put up solid numbers in the AHL, with his best year being the 2023-24 season. He put up 52 points (18 goals, 34 assists) in 72 games played with Abbotsford. If he can add some steady production for the Marlies or even up with the main club, Toronto will then have a sneaky weapon to deploy against teams.
Raty gives the Leafs more options down the middle
Again, trailing back to the Tavares incident, the Leafs would have to move someone like Nick Paul up to the second line, or even sacrifice one of their wingers to the faceoff dot on the third line. This trade gives both Chayka and Jim Hiller some breathing room to work with and not make a huge shake to the lineup.
Raty can also grab a spot on the wing should any situation arise, which adds a lot more versatility when trying to pair him with other key depth forwards that the Leafs already have. Teddy Blueger comes to mind, mainly because they both shared the ice with the Canucks last year.
The Leafs will own the faceoff circle with Raty
It's obvious that he won't really be a traditional sniper like Auston Matthews, nor a nifty playmaker who can make a difference in a game. However, Raty brings technique on the red dot that can eventually lead to something huge in a matchup.
Since the 2022-23 season, he ranks fourth among all centers in faceoff wins with a solid 59.1 percent. While the face value might not seem so special, think about how Raty, since that year, has a higher percentage than some of the game's best faceoff takers like Tavares, Aleksander Barkov and Sidney Crosby, as well as the now-retired Anze Kopitar.
This trade was nowhere near as big an acquisition as Chayka has made so far in his term as GM of the Leafs. Although the name was not big, what Raty can do on the ice and for the team could be worth much more.
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