Perseverance finally paying off for best buddies Rattie, Leipsic
EDMONTON The lasting bond between Ty Rattie and Brendan Leipsic extends beyond being hotshot juniors in Portland.
There’s mutual respect and support in the push to make permanent impressions with their respective NHL clubs because they ’re at the career crossroads on expiring contracts. And yet, with time not on their side, the survivors may have found longevity.
Rattie not only looks like a rightwing fit on the Edmonton Oilers’ first line with Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins — allowing Leon Draisaitl to centre the second alignment — he has 10 points (7-3) in three exhibition games, including a hat trick in the Oilers’ 6-0 pre-season win over the Canucks here Tuesday.
Leipsic has been included in the conversation with Sven Baertschi, Loui Eriksson and Nikolay Goldobin to find the best left-wing fit with Bo Horvat and Brock Boeser. One goal in his first three pre-season games won’t move the meter, but Leipsic’s well-rounded game hasn’t gone unnoticed.
What’s striking about Rattie’s revival is he had good reason to wonder if 48 goals and 110 points with the Winterhawks in their 2012-13 WHL championship season was the career capper.
He cracked the St. Louis Blues’ lineup in his first camp in 2013, but played just two games before being waived four years later. Claimed by Carolina, he played just five more times before being re-claimed by the Blues. Sent to the minors and not tendered a qualifying offer, the Calgary native thought that was it.
“I never found it,” said the 25-year-old Rattie. “I was offstride and I was out of shape. It was tough. But it’s a mindset of saying you can do it and be here. I came to camp this year knowing this might be my last chance and you have to take advantage of it.
“And when you’re given this opportunity, you should be excited to just come to the rink every day. Playing with these guys, you can’t get better than that, but exhibition is one thing; you’ve got to do it in the regular season and keep it going to stick.”
Rattie has met the challenge to get pucks to McDavid at speed and finish chances when fed by the captain or Nugent-Hopkins.
“McDavid coming through the neutral zone with speed is the best option in the league and Nuge can find anybody at any time,” added Rattie. “It’s not crowding them too much and putting your attempts away. Everyone teaches you to corral the puck and support players. There’s no reason to support McDavid. He can draw three guys to him and beat three by himself.
“Why not spread out and get open? Because 95 per cent of the time he’s going to find the open guy.”
Playing with elite players also means being good without the puck. In a 4-2 pre-season win over the Canucks on Sept. 18 at Rogers Arena, he scored a pair of goals and could have gone for the hat trick. But he was responsible and passed on a wide-angle shot that could have led to a quick transition.
“That comes with a little bit of experience,” said Rattie. “Maybe when I was 20 or 21, I would have fired that puck from the corner and maybe it goes in or maybe they go down and score. It’s the things you learn.”
It’s the same with Leipsic. Acquired from Las Vegas on Feb. 26 for Philip Holm, this marks the fifth pro organization in the last four seasons for the 24-year-old Winnipeg native. His nine points (3-6) in 14 games down the stretch teased of lasting potential.
“I’d like to contribute more on the scoresheet, but I’m just showing the coaching staff and management that I can make the right decisions by not trying to do too much and be responsible defensively,” stressed Leipsic.
“(Coach) Travis (Green) preaches details and puck decisions and I’ve done a pretty good job of that for the most part. I’m just trying to take advantage of every opportunity I have.”
Every off-season the Winterhawks hold a reunion and the last one was in Vancouver. Aside from good times, there’s always hard talk between Rattie and Leipsic about sticking with an NHL club.
“It always gets to that,” said Rattie. “We’re now in spots where we can really make a name for ourselves and we talk pretty much every day.”
Aside from the serious stuff, the best friends take the best shots at each other, too.
“He chirps me all the time,” Rattie said of Leipsic. “It’s tough to line up with one of your buddies and take it seriously. You kind of have a smile on your face. He’s a real character.
“You can’t shut him up for long, that’s for sure.”