With the injuries piling up for the New York Islanders, general manager Lou Lamoriello has gone to the Bridgeport Islanders well as he has recalled top prospect Aatu Räty.
The Islanders have also recalled defenseman Parker Wotherspoon and have placed forward Kyle Palmieri (retro Dec. 16) and goaltender Semyon Varlamov (Retro Dec.18) on Injured Reserve. They join defenseman Adam Pelech, who is on IR, retroactive to Dec. 6.
With these moves, the Islanders created two roster spots which is why they were able to recall the two players.
Forward Casey Cizikas was injured in the Islanders 5-3 loss to the New York Rangers on Thursday night, which is why a centerman was recalled.
Wotherspoon is likely up due to the struggles of Robin Salo.
The 20-year-old Aatu Räty has five goals and seven assists in 23 games with the Bridgeport Islanders this season.
The 2020 second-round pick (52nd) came over to North America last season after he finished up his fourth professional season in Finland. After going pointless in Bridgeport’s two remaining regular season games, he notched one goal and three assists in six Calder Cup playoff games.
He scored the overtime winner to send Bridgeport to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2003.
Räty is a centerman and only a centerman per Lamoriello and Lambert, but with no opening at the center position up until last night, he stayed put in Bridgeport.
The Finnish forward has an elite shot that he showed off during preseason and elite offensive instincts but also has the wherewithal to be in the right place at the right time, which he showed during the preseason.
He’s an effective two-way forward, and he could make his NHL debut against the Florida Panthers Friday.
We shall see how the lines look during warmups, but we are not sure if Lambert would want to use Räty in a fourth-line role. We could see Zach Parise slot in as the fourth-line center and other changes made to the lineup.
