With the Minnesota Wild showing signs of life on the trade market, maybe they could sneak in and steal a trade-able asset in Ty Rattie off waivers.
Whilst the fact he has as yet gone unclaimed suggests there is little interest around the league, you do look at him as the sort of additional piece that could be thrown on as part of a larger deal. Maybe the Wild will use Charlie Coyle‘s recent form and dangle him on the trade market again. If so, adding Ty Rattie to a deal could bring a bigger and more useful return.
It does sound like a move for a move’s sake, but I like to paint it as clever thinking. Acquire an asset that is expiring, takes up minimal cap space and if in true doubt can be sent to the Iowa Wild to make up for the lost production of Justin Kloos.
Or acquire the same Ty Rattie that did indeed show a degree of offensive spark in the NHL earlier this season when paired with Connor McDavid.
It doesn’t scream game-changer, not in any sense, but it could be a very clever bit of manoeuvring for Paul Fenton if he wants to add a few trade-able assets and look for a big deal or look to squeeze some extra draft picks.
Whilst again, Ty Rattie is on the waiver wire; give him a few weeks in the line-up, hope he gets a bit of production going for the Minnesota Wild and who knows you could sell him at the deadline for an extra chance in the fourth round.
Never a bad bet considering players like Johnny Gaudreau have fourth round pedigree.
I’m not saying the Minnesota Wild will necessarily convert on a draft pick that they’re hypothetically able to obtain from a waiver pickup, but why not play that game.
Pick him up, see if he flies, try to ship him and if all else fails you’ve got the rest of the season to decide if he’s a piece you renew and keep around or cut loose.
It’s not really that much of a bet you’re taking. Especially as the cap space will be released back to the Minnesota Wild should they pick up Ty Rattie and choose not to renew his one-year deal.