Why isn't Aatu Räty playing for the Vancouver Canucks?
Vancouver Canucks fans were led to believe that, finally, the team is entering a rebuild.
However, recent actions suggest that’s a very loose definition.
Case in point: Aatu Räty.
The young Finnish centre has inexplicably been sitting in the press box for the last two Canucks games, even with centre Elias Pettersson still on the sidelines.
Based on practice on Thursday, it looks like Räty is destined to spend another game on the sidelines. This scratch would come against his former team, the New York Islanders, no less.
It would be one thing if Räty had run cold, hadn’t been winning faceoffs, and hadn’t been holding his own defensively.
None of those has been the case, though.
Since Dec. 1, Räty leads all Canucks skaters with five points.
Sure, it’s not an overly impressive number, especially considering that three of those points came in the same game.
However, that offensive production is better than any other Canucks skater this month. Not to mention, he had two other goals that were disallowed, and one of those probably should have counted.
Outside of his production in December, Räty has flat-out been the Canucks most productive player at five-on-five this season.
Depth players and Filip Hronek have led the Canucks in five-on-five scoring this season. (Natural Stat Trick)
The 23-year-old leads all Canucks with 11 five-on-five points. That ties him with Filip Hronek for the team lead. However, Räty has played about half as many minutes at five-on-five.
So, why the heck isn’t he playing?
With the Canucks on the road, Adam Foote hasn’t been asked about it directly. However, he has given some hints as to why.
One player whom the Canucks have prioritized before scratching Räty has been David Kämpf. The Czech centre has averaged 15:29 per game this season, while Räty has only surpassed the 15-minute mark in four of his 28 games.
Foote explained what he liked after yet another pointless performance from Kämpf on this road trip.
“He’s playing unbelievable defence, Foote said after the Canucks beat the New Jersey Devils last Sunday. “He’s winning faceoffs, he’s out there in key moments, he’s doing his job.”
He also has zero points in 13 games while playing in a top-six role.
And sure, Kämpf has unquestionably helped the Canucks penalty kill since he entered the lineup, but that kind of misses the point.
If the Canucks are truly in a rebuild, like they alluded to earlier this week, then why is a 30-year-old fringer NHLer playing ahead of a 23-year-old who has earned his minutes?
Räty would be justified in being frustrated while guys like Kämpf, or Drew O’Connor, who is currently playing centre, are slotted in the lineup ahead of Räty. Many Canucks fans are frustrated as well.
And if Räty can’t crack this Canucks lineup, it does make you wonder what his future is in Vancouver.