It looks like the Oilers believe in Ty Rattie. After a solid late-season showing playing alongside Connor McDavid on the team’s top line, Rattie has been given a one-year extension. Per Elliotte Friedman, it’ll be worth $800k. 

Rattie was originally drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the second round of the 2011 NHL draft. He has a pedigree of producing offence at a high level, as he once owned the Alberta Bantam AAA single-season point record. He produced at an elite clip in the WHL with the Portland Winterhawks and at a solid clip in the AHL, but was never able to make the jump up to the highest level.

He was given a one-year, two-way deal to be a depth player in the Oilers organization last summer. After spending most of the season in Bakersfield, Rattie was recalled after the trade deadline. He got a shot playing with Connor McDavid and didn’t look back, putting up five goals and four assists in 14 games total.

Obviously anybody can produce with McDavid, so we don’t need to look too far into these numbers. Still, the Oilers, given their cap picture, need cheap, plug-and-play type players who can shoot, go to the net, and score goals, and Rattie does all of those things. As fun as it is watching Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins dominate opponents with McDavid, the Oilers need to spread the talent around their lineup. McDavid is good enough to produce playing with Rattie, it worked in the final few weeks of the season, so it’s worth another look.