Despite sitting second in WHL scoring and being named the CHL’s player of the week Nov. 28, Airdrie’s Ty Rattie won’t be suiting up for Team Canada at the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championship.
The 18-year-old was left off the final 22-man roster on Dec. 14 and was upset at not being able to represent his country in front of friends and family in Calgary and Edmonton.
“It was tough and it obviously wasn’t the news I wanted to hear, but they made a decision and it’s over with,” Rattie said. “This one is going to hurt for awhile.”
“There are some tough decisions to make,” said Team Canada head coach Don Hay after a 7-4 win over the CIS All-Stars at WinSport Arena in Calgary on Dec. 13.
“There is lots of discussion to take place tonight, as the guys played hard. We just asked everybody to play a good solid game. I think you have to be solid and be able to play at both ends of the ice.”
Rattie, playing on a line with his Portland Winterhawks teammate Brad Ross and Phillip Danault of Victoriaville, had two assists and drew two penalties during the Selection Camp’s third exhibition game. Danault, Ross and Rattie were the final three players cut.
“It was my hardest working one, that’s for sure,” Rattie said after the game. “I created some scoring opportunities, I drew penalties and at the end of it, I’m proud of my game. My dad said it best: ‘You did your best, and that’s all you can do.’”
Rattie, who has 59 points in 32 WHL games this season, knew it was going to be a challenge to make the team.
As a right-winger, he faced competition from NHL players Brett Connolly and Devante Smith-Pelly, as well as WHL-leading scorer Mark Stone and the Vancouver Giants’ Brendan Gallagher.
“They’re both great players with NHL experience,” Rattie said of Connolly and Smith-Pelly. “I know most of the guys on the team from past tournaments and past tryouts, but I think coach Don Hay just wants to see guys in different positions. He wants a guy that can play first line, or a guy that can be the 13th forward.”
Rattie was held off the scoresheet during the Selection Camp’s two Red and White intra-squad games on Dec. 11 and 12.
“I’ve never been part of a game that was that fast,” he said after the first game. “A couple of exhibition games with the (St. Louis) Blues were pretty fast, but this was high tempo and that’s the funnest kind of game to play.”
After being named the CHL player of the week, Rattie said he came into the Selection Camp with a high level of belief.
“I did have a few good games there and got my confidence level up, so my confidence was flying high coming into this camp,” he said. “But you realize how many good players there are in Canada and in the CHL when you come here. I think with Team Canada and the World Juniors, nerves are going to rush over you for sure, but at the same time I was so excited to get out there in front of friends and family and prove that I belong here.”
Rattie doesn’t turn 19 until February, so he’ll have a second chance at making Team Canada for the 2013 World Juniors in Ufa, Russia.
“I’m not going to get over it for a while, but I guess when next year comes around, I’ll start getting excited for that,” he said.
Having the support of his family, along with Airdrie Mayor Peter Brown and former coach and current Alderman Murray Buchanan, who were at the second Selection Camp game, was important regardless of the outcome, Rattie said.
“My dad was front row centre,” he said.
“He was excited. And my mom – she doesn’t care if I’m trying out for World Juniors or if I’m playing house (league) back in Airdrie, she’s just happy I’m having fun. It was good to see them and I’m happy to play in front of them again.”
