Long may you run, Ty Rattie

I’ll see you when I see you Ty Rattie.

The Blues forward was placed on waivers today and I expect him to be claimed soon. This is not like a Magnus Paajarvi visit at the DFA bar. Rattie has actual talent and could be a difference maker with a change of scenery and different jersey.

I’m not talking about the next Vladimir Tarasenko or even Jaden Schwartz here. Just a quality player who never got his time to shine in St. Louis. He should be sitting on hands and knees begging for a team to grab him. Rattie has been lingering around Scottrade for three seasons and seen action in just 30 games in his NHL career. He’s traveled with the team on most of its December road trip, and that time could have been spent on the Chicago Wolves staying sharp.

Rattie is best known around the world these days as the guy who pops up on The Road to the Winter Classic that gets the following response from viewers: “Who the fuck is that guy?” Ken Hitchcock wasn’t going to play this guy. There could be a movie made about the doghouse struggles of Rattie and Nail Yakupov. Rattie hasn’t played since November 28th.

What if an injury had occurred? Hitch wouldn’t select Rattie. He’d throw a bone to his Jori Lehtera impersonator, Magnus Paajarvi, before looking Ty’s way. The “fast” skater played in 45+ games last year and didn’t produce much. He got a shot, and would again if a player went down. Rattie would be stuck getting cameos at high profile burger joints in Minnesota. Sorry Ty. As Bruce Hornsby once said, that’s just the way it is. Some thing just never change.

There is hope for Rattie out there, as hockey scribes are pining for their teams to make a move and claim him.

STLGT writer Jeff Jones thinks Rattie is an untapped entity for a team in need:

Rattie played in 13 games last year and scored 4 goals and produced 6 points. He has produced at the minor league level and has nothing left to prove there. Perhaps that is why he never went back to Chicago. One thing is clear and that is St. Louis isn’t going to put him to use. They need to purge these kind of fringe talents that will simply go to waste if not properly utilized. Rattie’s best bet is finding a new home.

Is he the slickest skater? No. Does he project to score 25 goals? No. Is he going to find a future in the Lou? No. 30 games isn’t a wise estimate to judge a player’s NHL prospects on.

Story time. Rattie came into the press box Monday looking for food with Big Bob Robert Bortuzzo. They came in three times looking for food and finally at the conclusion of the second period, the food was served. Wouldn’t it have been something if Rattie staged a “Mad as hell” rant right there?

“You can take my playing time, my jersey, and my potential, but you can not take my NACHOS!”

Ty Rattie will be just 24 years old on February 5th. He has time to grow and has shown a skill set in his brief NHL career. Don’t sleep on him, NHL. The Blues may be giving up on him, but he deserves a shot.

I really hope he isn’t a Blue tomorrow.