Joined by frequent prospect watcher Jake from the Skates at the Stakes podcast, we remember Aatu Räty’s surprise drafting and splashy debut for the Islanders before he became part of a massive trade.
Once expected to be a Top 10 pick, Räty’s stock dropped precipitously in his draft year and he fell to the Islanders in the second round, which seemed like a steal at the time. Scoring a goal in his first NHL game only reinforced that idea. But about a month later, he was included in a deal for All Star Bo Horvat that launched a thousand awful hot takes that have only gotten more laughable over time.