Chatting with Aatu Räty about Settling in and Finding ‘Arki’ in Abbotsford

Last season was a whirlwind for the now 21-year-old centre, Aatu Räty.

Four teams, four coaches, and forty-four different linemates. It was a lot for the youngster, who did all of that as a teenager in his first year away from his home country of Finland.

Räty was looking for a Finnish word called ‘Arki’.

Arki doesn’t have a direct translation in the English language but from speaking to some Finnish friends, the best way they could describe it was what Arki refers to ordinary or non-special things in your life. Almost like routine tasks or just everyday duties.

“It’s kind of like the Monday through Friday grind,” said Räty about how he likes to have ‘arki’ in his life. “I feel like when you get that consistency set up, you're comfortable. Like with the team you know the practice drills, you know the routine, you know the schedule, you know where you can fit in your own personal workouts, the team workouts, the extra work that you're going to be able to make time for on the ice. You know which skills coach is going to help you do things like tight turns, and you know which skills coach is going help you work on your shot. I think that's just so important. Last year, after the trade, because it was such a small time, I just couldn't get that setup in time. I could have done better but it was just not meant to be. This season is much better now, I felt really good getting started at training camp and having a fresh new season. I think that's a good thing. I feel like I’m actually living my life. Like I’m at home now.”

Räty has been able to find success in the early stages of this season. He’s been a trusted penalty-killer for Abbotsford head coach Jeremy Colliton, who has recently been giving Räty more time on the power play as well. Räty has picked up 14 points over his last 16 AHL games and believes that he is growing the confidence to have success in North America in a similar way to how he found success in the Finnish men’s league.

“In Finland, it took me a couple of years to play good in the league and then once you get good, you move up to the next league,” said Räty. “I think it's now time to get really good at that American League level. Last year, after a trade I don’t think I played that well. Now, I’m just so much more comfortable. The more games you play in a league, I think it just makes the league feel a bit slower. You can really feel that you have more time and you kind of know what's coming. You know your alignments better in the system that you are in, so I think that makes it so much easier already here in Abbotsford.”

Another thing that makes his development much easier in Abbotsford is the help of Daniel and Henrik Sedin. The Hall of Fame forwards have spent a lot of time working alongside Räty this season and with their experience as players who needed to work on their skating ability before becoming full-time NHLers, Räty learns about positioning in all three zones and how he can gain a step from being intelligent with his movement.

He’s also gotten specific with each of the twins, picking the brain off the Hall of Famers on a few specific skills that Räty wants to be confident in before he gets a run in the NHL.

“They've been helping a lot,” said Räty about the help from the Sedins. “I've been doing a lot of faceoffs with Henrik and a lot of shooting stuff with Daniel and then passing stuff with both of them. It's been really good for my game.”

Räty is a very self-aware prospect. He has had a sniff of the NHL – playing 15 games as a 20-year-old last season. After getting a taste of the NHL, Räty knew that there was a certain aspect of his own game that he had to work on this summer.

And work on it, he did.

“I think my skating has improved,” said Räty about his offseason training. “I need to get a lot better at crossovers, tighten my turns and have my legs under my body a bit more. I tend to have my legs really wide sometimes, but I've liked the way I trained this offseason. I really want to be a complete package and then try to improve on everything. Right now, my skating is the main point and I think it's gotten better and chipping away. I'm definitely working hard on it.”

At just 21 years old, Räty still has a long runway to develop his game before his call to the NHL comes. The Finnish centre wants to be an impact NHL player but believes that he will know when he feels ready from how he plays in the AHL.

Räty has expanded his game in his time with Abbotsford. He’s now a trusted penalty killer, power play contributor and is showing that he can be effective in the faceoff dot but also slide over to the wings and be an effective first forward in on a forecheck if that’s the role he ends up playing in the NHL. The kid wants to be versatile, and he’s been checking boxes with the help of his coaching staff and the development team in the valley.

After a hectic 2021-22 season where Räty came over to North America as a teenager, was moved up and down from the AHL and NHL multiple times and then was traded at the All-Star break, he is now finding his ‘arki’ in Abbotsford and beginning to develop his game so that the NHL is just a small step away.