The Edmonton Oilers have continued a recent strategy of signing mid-20s free agents from Europe and North American colleges, bringing in Aku Räty on a one-year deal as a fast, physical option projected for the bottom six.
Why Edmonton is targeting older prospects
The move reflects a deeper roster consequence: in the last five entry drafts the club has traded away three first-round, two second-round and three third-round picks, leaving the Oilers with fewer 18-to-22-year-old draft prospects than typical contenders. The Cult of Hockey’s Top 20 prospect list for 2026 included only seven recently drafted, young players — a shortfall that has pushed management to pursue older, often proven European or collegiate options.
That approach was evident in the summer of 2025, when Edmonton added Josh Samanski, Quinn Hutson, Damian Carfagna, Atro Leppänen and Viljama Marjala. This past summer the club signed Tomas Cibulka, Owen Michaels and Räty. Those additions are less about long-term pipeline building and more about immediate depth for a team still aiming for a Stanley Cup.
What Räty brings
Räty, 25, is listed at 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds. He was drafted 151st overall in 2019 and posted 57 points in 51 games for Karpat in Finland’s top league last season — seventh overall in scoring in that circuit. The scouting consensus included in the profile suggests he won’t be counted on to drive a top scoring line in the NHL, but rather to supply speed, aggressive board play and net-front presence.
"He's a hard-nosed player. He plays along the boards. He plays to the net... really good skater, really good competitor… He'll get his goals by being hard-nosed and going to the net and... playing hard for checking," said TSN's Craig Button after Räty signed.
Button, known for his sometimes stern assessments of Oilers management, offered unqualified praise for Räty’s style — an endorsement that matters in a market that weighs both skill and willingness to compete for puck possession.
- Age: 25
- Height/Weight: 6'2", 180 lbs.
- Drafted: 151st overall, 2019
- Last season: 57 points in 51 games for Karpat (Finland)
- Contract: One-year deal
| Category | Figure |
|---|---|
| Finland league scoring rank | 7th overall |
| Points / Games (2025-26) | 57 / 51 |
| Recent summer additions (2025–26) | Josh Samanski, Quinn Hutson, Damian Carfagna, Atro Leppänen, Viljama Marjala, Tomas Cibulka, Owen Michaels, Aku Räty |
Local implications
For Oilers supporters in Edmonton the signing is pragmatic. The club’s core forwards are getting older, and injuries are a constant risk over an 82-game slate and a long playoff run. Adding a player like Räty gives the coaching staff a calibre of competitor who can be deployed on checking lines and in penalty-kill situations without waiting for a younger prospect to develop.
But there is a trade-off. Relying on 22-to-26-year-old free agents sacrifices the traditional model of cost-controlled, club-developed rookies who can contribute at a lower cap hit for multiple seasons. That reality underscores why the draft-pick trades from recent years still haunt the organization’s long-term depth chart.
Räty’s signing is not a blockbuster. It is, as some league observers framed it, the kind of low-risk, high-reward pickup that can pay immediate dividends if injuries strike or if the player adapts quickly to the North American game. For a city that measures a franchise by both playoff runs and fiscal prudence, every such move in training camp will be watched closely.
Expect Räty to compete for a bottom-six wing role heading into camp. If he delivers the hard-edge and net access that scouts describe, he could be one of the practical additions that keeps Edmonton competitive while management navigates a limited prospect pipeline.
