While just 18 years old, the Finnish center impressed the Islanders coaching staff and current players with his poise, skill, hockey IQ and competitive edge.
"I've been extremely impressed with the player to this point," Islanders Head Coach Barry Trotz said. "[He's] quite mature. Has lots of game, high hockey IQ, he reminds me of a Zach Parise-type of player. He's got a really good motor, always around the net, very intelligent, wins his puck battles, has really good hands. What a great pick by our scouts. Personally, there's certain kids that you get really excited with when they show up at camp. A lot of times we get a kid at camp, we get excited, but we go, 'He has this hole and this hole. We're going to have to work on this.' But there's not that many holes in his game really."
Raty, who the Islanders selected 52nd overall with their second-round pick at the 2021 draft, dressed in the Islanders' first two preseason games against the New York Rangers and the Philadelphia Flyers and helped the team get off to a 2-0 start.
Sized 6-foot-2, 185-pounds, Raty showcased his strength around the net front, consistency in the faceoff circle and quick comprehension of the Islanders' detailed system. In his first game against the Rangers on Sept. 26, the left-shot skated alongside Kieffer Bellows and Leo Komarov, totaled 16:08 TOI including 2:07 time on the power play and blocked two shots as the group claimed a 4-0 shutout win at Madison Square Garden.
All throughout training camp Trotz has experimented with positioning Raty with other NHL experienced skaters and he's embraced the task. In game-action against the Flyers on Sept. 28, the Oulunsalo, native centered Anthony Beauvillier and Kyle Palmieri and continued to impress those around him.
"One of the things, when you're a competitive guy is that when there's a puck battle, that's where the game is won," Trotz said. "Can you win more puck battles? Can you get the puck out when you're under duress? Can you make a play when you're under duress? That's one thing that he seems to excel at. That's the North American-NHL version. It's easy to be really good on the rush, with time and space, it's hard to be a good player in tight spaces."
With a plethora of experience at the international stage - where he's represented Team Finland at the World Junior Championships and at the professional level, where he skated 35 games last season with Kärpät in Finland's top-tier ice hockey league - he demonstrated his already polished game.
While he didn't get on the scoresheet during the Islanders' 3-2 OT win over Philadelphia, Raty still made a positive impact. His commanding zone entry in which he dangled through one defender and bodied off another to keep possession eventually led to Adam Pelech's tying goal in the second period. Raty finished the contest with two shots, one hit, took one penalty and played 15:17 with 2:26 of power-play reps.
"Really good player, understands the play really well," Beauvillier said as he echoed praise for Raty. "Always in good position, a lot of skills and a lot of poise. It's kind of rare to see a young guy have that much poise especially in his first two preseason games in the NHL. Really enjoyed playing with him. He made a lot of good plays and was definitely noticeable."
Despite only coming stateside for just over a week, as he returns to Karpat in Finland's Liiga, the Islanders' first look at their Finnish prospect hasn't disappointed. Safe to say, the young up-and-comer has created a buzz for what's to come.
"I'm fairly excited," Trotz said. "We talk about who impresses you and what you see. To start, he's made a really good impression."
