Aku Räty

Aku Räty (born 5 July 2001) is a Finnish professional ice hockey right winger for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Arizona Coyotes selected Räty 151st overall in the 2019 NHL entry draft. On 17 April 2024, he was the last player ever to debut for the Coyotes.

Playing career Räty developed in the Kärpät system alongside his brother, Aatu, with both being considered top prospects in the Finnish ranks in their respective NHL draft years. Aku remained on the board through the first four rounds of the 2019 NHL entry draft before the Arizona Coyotes selected him in the fifth round with the 151st overall pick.

After marking marginal impacts in the top-ranked Finnish Liiga with Oulun Kärpät in his first three post-draft seasons, Räty transferred to Ilves in 2022 and subsequently enjoyed a breakout year. Räty finished second on the team with 18 goals and fifth with 42 points in 53 games during the 2022–23 Liiga season, helping Ilves qualify for the playoffs as the second seed. He added one goal in 10 playoff games as Ilves were eliminated by the Lahti Pelicans in the Liiga semifinals.

On 3 May 2023, the Coyotes signed Räty to a two-year, entry-level contract to take effect in the 2023–24 NHL season. Räty's exclusive NHL draft signing rights with the Coyotes had been set to expire on 1 June 2023. He made his NHL debut on 17 April, in the Coyotes' final game in Arizona, a 5–2 win over the Edmonton Oilers, during which he recorded a point. The following day, sale was officially approved with the Arizona Coyotes franchise becoming officially deactivated until further notice and new expansion team, the Utah Hockey Club, taking their place. Räty's rights were transferred from Arizona to Utah accordingly.

On 7 March 2025, Räty, along with Victor Söderström and Shea Weber, was traded by Utah to the Chicago Blackhawks.

On 20 May 2025, Räty returned home to Kärpät, signing a two-year contract with the Liiga.

On 25 May 2026, it was announced that Räty had signed a one-year, two-way contract to return to North America, as part of the Edmonton Oilers organization.

Personal life Räty's younger brother, Aatu, was drafted in the second round of the 2021 NHL entry draft by the New York Islanders. He currently plays for the Vancouver Canucks.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 2018–19 Kärpät Jr. A 52 19 26 45 28 11 3 6 9 4 2019–20 Kärpät Jr. A 18 11 10 21 6 1 1 0 1 0 2019–20 Kärpät Liiga 32 2 5 7 14 — — — — — 2020–21 Kärpät Jr. A 2 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2020–21 Kärpät Liiga 36 4 3 7 6 4 0 0 0 0 2021–22 Kärpät Liiga 56 11 11 22 34 7 1 1 2 4 2022–23 Ilves Liiga 53 18 24 42 10 10 1 0 1 6 2023–24 Tucson Roadrunners AHL 55 15 29 44 22 2 0 0 0 0 2023–24 Arizona Coyotes NHL 1 0 1 1 0 — — — — — 2024–25 Tucson Roadrunners AHL 50 4 15 19 28 — — — — — 2024–25 Rockford IceHogs AHL 15 2 4 6 13 2 1 0 1 0 2025–26 Kärpät Liiga 51 20 37 57 36 — — — — —Liiga totals 228 55 80 135 100 21 2 1 3 10NHL totals 1 0 1 1 0 — — — — —

International

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM 2017 Finland U17 6th 5 0 0 0 0 2018 Finland HG18 7th 3 2 1 3 0 2019 Finland U18 7th 5 2 0 2 0 2020 Finland WJC 4th 7 2 1 3 2 2021 Finland WJC 7 2 1 3 8Junior totals 27 8 3 11 10