Ty Rattie is a step closer to his dream of playing in the NHL.
The Airdrie native was selected 32nd overall by the St. Louis Blues during the second round of the NHL Entry Draft at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minn., June 25. “You dream about it – and then your name gets called – so it was the best feeling of my life and something I won’t forget,” he said. “It’s exciting.”
Rattie, who had 101 points in 87 regular season and playoff games with the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks during the 2010-11 campaign, was expected to be selected in the first round, as he was ranked No. 17 by NHL Central Scouting and No. 25 in TSN’s Bob McKenzie’s final player rankings last week.
Besides the waiting aspect, Rattie didn’t mind at all.
“My agent said anywhere from 11 to 45 anybody can go anywhere,” Rattie said. “Thirty-two or 15, it doesn’t really matter to me. I’m just excited to get picked. It was tough sitting there for four-and-a-half hours and the first 30 picks, but I woke up (Saturday) morning and it was a new day – and I only had to wait one pick. I sat down for about five minutes and my name got picked, so it was definitely exciting. Having family and friends here made it that much more special.”
Rattie’s parents, younger brother, grandparents and three best friends all made the trip to Minnesota to share the experience with him. After the draft on June 25, he went to the Mall of America, and planned to attend a Minnesota Twins game.
He said he’ll be back in Airdrie this week and will train here during the summer months in anticipation of Blues training camp, to which he has already been invited, in September.
“That is a good start, so I’ll just need to prepare myself and get myself ready for that to prove that I can play with those guys,” Rattie said.
He originally met with St. Louis personnel at the NHL Combine in Toronto June 3 and 4 and said they had shown interest in him.
“It went well,” he said. “They have a young group of forwards, which is good for me I think. I’ll do whatever I can to make that roster as soon as I can.”
The Blues will visit the Calgary Flames twice during the 2011-2012 season: Oct. 28 and Feb. 27, 2012. If Rattie doesn’t stay with the team, he will likely play with the AHL-affiliate Peoria Rivermen or return for a fourth season with Portland.
He’ll also potentially have the chance to represent to Canada at the 2012 World Junior Championships in Edmonton and Calgary this Christmas, as he was one of 46 players invited to the summer tryout camp in Fort McMurray and Edmonton this August.
“It’s a given that every year my family crowds around the TV and watches the tournament at Christmas. Being able to share it with my friends and family would make it that much more exciting. It adds that much more push for me to try my hardest and work hard this summer to make that team.”
