There’s connective tissue between Raty and Malhotra. Grinding NHL centres, great in faceoff dot, ample drive, and career challenges. Malhotra also guided Raty for 49 AHL games.<\/p>\n
Get the latest from Ben Kuzma straight to your inbox Sign Up <\/p>\n
Published May 24, 2026 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 4 minute read<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n You can save this article by registering for free here<\/a>. Or sign-in<\/a> if you have an account.<\/p>\n The spotlight has found Aatu Raty in Switzerland.<\/p>\n Advertisement 2<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events.Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account.The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.<\/p>\n SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events.Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account.The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.<\/p>\n REGISTER \/ SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.<\/p>\n THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an Account<\/p>\n or<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Not that the Vancouver Canucks<\/a>\u2019 grinding centre was seeking it at the world hockey championship \u2014 that\u2019s never been his thing because he works best in the shadows \u2014 but it\u2019s hard to ignore three goals and six points in the first six outings for his native Finland.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Raty had an assist Sunday as Finland defeated Austria 5-2 to move to 6-0 in the tournament. It\u2019s a surprising chapter because Raty\u2019s book of work is making most of measured NHL minutes.<\/p>\n The fourth-liner understands the credo of being hard to play against, not getting scored on or taking penalties. And even though he finished fourth in league faceoff percentage at 60.5 efficiency, he was also scratched 16 times. That\u2019s quite the gut punch.<\/p>\n However, with Manny Malhotra expected to soon be named the Canucks\u2019 new head coach, it may bode well for Raty.<\/p>\n There\u2019s connective tissue between Raty and Malhotra. Grinding NHL centres, great in faceoff dot, ample drive, and career challenges. Malhotra also guided Raty for 49 AHL games in Abbotsford during the 2024-25 season in which he managed 38 points (17-23) in 43 games. Raty was then injured early in the playoffs on the club\u2019s march to the Calder Cup title.<\/p>\n Canucks Report<\/p>\n Thanks for signing up!<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Advertisement 3<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n The affable Finn has an attitude of everyday gratefulness and it\u2019s evident before, during and after practices to gain a stronger consistent stride that will take his game to another level. His rationale is more than 66 games this season with result in more than 14 points (4-10) next fall.<\/p>\n Late in the 2024-25 season, Raty looked good between Dakota Joshua<\/a> and Kiefer Sherwood. He was quicker, more engaged, and had a spurt of five goals in seven games. Was that a hint of future potential or just a mirage?<\/p>\n In a torturous 2025-26 campaign, the last-place Canucks used seven centres and failed to solve riddles in the middle. They lost Filip Chytil and Teddy Blueger<\/a> to long-term injuries on Oct. 19. Trade plays for Lukas Reichel and David Kampf failed miserably and they were moved at the deadline.<\/p>\n And Marco Rossi struggled early with injury and indifferent play after arriving in the Quinn Hughes<\/a> blockbuster trade. Quite frankly, the middle was a mess.<\/p>\n One of Raty\u2019s best traits is understanding you play like you practise. Cut corners and it will show. It\u2019s why he uses a restraining apparatus while skating before practices to improve produce continuous speed.<\/p>\n Advertisement 4<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n \u201cFor a guy in my position, you\u2019ve got to show it every day and practices are huge,\u201d the 6-foot-2, 204-pound pivot told Postmedia. \u201cYou\u2019ve got to show that you\u2019re improving and that you belong here. It\u2019s just as big as any game.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m proud of what I\u2019ve done to improve, but it\u2019s hard. I love this stuff so much. It\u2019s so rare that it\u2019s a grind for me. If it was up to me, I\u2019d be out there for three hours. It\u2019s like my first day every day. I appreciate everything.\u201d<\/p>\n If Raty needs extra incentive, there\u2019s plenty in former Canucks winger Jarkko Ruutu, who has turned author. The pugnacious and popular Finn got by more on testosterone than talent but found a way to survive.<\/p>\n In 267 regular-season games with Vancouver, he had 53 points (23-28) and 453 penalty minutes. He also played for Pittsburgh, Ottawa and Anaheim and his career log of 652 games, in which he amassed 142 points (58-84) and 1,078 minutes in penalties.<\/p>\n Ruutu never scored more than a dozen goals, but his popularity as an agitator drew acclaim. He wrote about it in a biography title \u201cThe Divine Comedy.\u201d Raty read it twice.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was his determination and also the mental side,\u201d said Raty. \u201cHe had a great career, but there were a lot of times when it could have looked a lot different. He stayed with it.\u201d<\/p>\n Advertisement 5<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Raty, 23, has a year remaining on his contract at US$850,000 before becoming a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. How he fits long term in the roster rebuild is uncertain because there are lots of pieces and potential problems.<\/p>\n It starts with Elias Pettersson<\/a>\u2019s training approach this off-season and how he\u2019s perceived by general manger Ryan Johnson and Malhotra. Can they reach him on some level? Is his trade bait? Co-president of hockey operations Henrik Sedin was blunt about it all.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s up to him now. We\u2019ve all been here to help him, but in the end, this is professional sports,\u201d he stressed.<\/p>\n How Chytil, 26, rebounds from a history of concussions amid the danger of the next one ending his career is of obvious concern. He has a year left at $4.44 million in annual value, and when healthy, he drives play through the neutral zone and has an offensive-zone presence with size and strength on pucks.<\/p>\n Teddy Blueger<\/a>, 31, is an unrestricted free agent, top-pairing penalty kill staple, and culture carrier. He called out a lack of decorum and wants to stay, but how much the Canucks increase his expiring cap hit of $1.8 million isn\u2019t as vital as term.<\/p>\n Top prospect Braden Cootes, 19, had a productive WHL season split between Seattle and Prince Albert. He piled up 63 regular-season points (24-39) and added an impressive 23 points (7-16) in 20 playoff games. Can he crack the Canucks lineup?<\/p>\n Cootes did log three early NHL games in 2025-26 and his roster status will depend on readiness and if there are departures at centre.<\/p>\n bkuzma@postmedia.com<\/a><\/p>\n Read More<\/p>\n A John Garrett hockey card and its unexpected return<\/p>\n![\"alt](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2207093749_294644284-1.jpg\")
Vancouver Canucks centre Aatu Raty celebrates his second period goal against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena on March 26, 2025 in Elmont, N.Y. Photo by Bruce Bennett \/Getty ImagesArticle content<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/21.2.1\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-vp.svg\"){kind=logo}
<\/p>\n![\"Canucks](\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/21.2.1\/websites\/images\/newsletters\/icon-vs-canucksReport.svg\"\/){kind=icon}
<\/p>\n![\"Aatu](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/2183403935_289722727.jpg\")
Aatu Raty gets on the forecheck against Ducks defenceman Olen Zellweger on Nov. 5, 2024 at Anaheim, Calif. Photo by Sean M. Haffey \/Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Cory](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/0523-card.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
![\"Sweden's](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/0522-canucks-draft-5.jpg\")
<\/p>\n