How Marlies’ Raty, Brisson are trying to work their way to job with Maple Leafs

As part of our Maple Leafs coverage at the Toronto Sun, we’re keeping regular tabs on the club’s prospects and other hopefuls, checking in with some potential Leafs across the hockey landscape.

Today, we talk to Toronto Marlies forwards Aatu Raty and Brendan Brisson.

HOW DOES RATY VIEW HIS NHL FUTURE?

Acquired on Oct. 15 from the Vancouver Canucks in a trade that sent forwards Jacob Quillan and Brandon Buhr west, Raty is not just simply happy for a fresh start in the Leafs organization.

The 23-year-old has designs on earning a spot with the Leafs, and there was no wavering in his belief when we talked to him following a Marlies practice this week.

“If you play well enough, you’re going to get a chance,” Raty said. “I’m not worried whether it’s going to be in a week or in a month or whatever.

“I’m so excited to be here and to work on my game. I know I’m going to be an NHL player. I can be there now and I know I’ll be there in the future. I’m never going to question myself on that.”

A second-round pick by the New York Islanders in 2021, Raty has played in 118 games in the National Hockey League with the Canucks and Islanders.

Despite leading the Canucks in faceoff-winning percentage last season — in fact, Raty’s 60.5% success rate at the dot in 2025-26 was good for fourth in the NHL, behind only Claude Giroux, Jonathan Toews and J.T. Miller — the native of Oulu, Finland couldn’t nail down a full-time spot as this season got underway.

Once Filip Chytil returned from injury, Ratu was knocked further down the Canucks depth chart and he didn’t factor in the club’s plans. He was placed on waivers and cleared before the Leafs traded for him.

The faceoff wizardry aside, Raty didn’t provide much in the way offence a year ago, scoring four goals and recording 10 assists in 66 games for Vancouver.

How could Raty potentially catch the eye of the Leafs, who have some strength in the middle in their group of bottom-six forwards?

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound didn’t hesitate on that, either.

“Skating has always been my weakness,” Raty said. “I’ve been able to get that better year in year out, but I keep working on it.

“Being a slower guy, if you can read and react better than others, you’re going to look quicker. If I can bump that up a bit, it opens a lot in my game. When I get pucks with good speed — I know (that goes for) everyone — I can make good plays. It’s (about) putting myself in those positions more too.”

Marlies coach Steve Sullivan is keeping an open mind regarding Raty’s potential.

“He’s still a young guy who has played a lot of NHL games, and it’s intriguing,” Sullivan said. “Can we get him back up? Can he become a fourth-line guy? I think he can go up right now and play games, but how do we get him to push (the Leafs) group? Having that internal pressure from below, that makes the decisions up top a little bit more difficult.

“He’s a smart hockey player. Very detailed, very structured. He comes as advertised.”

HOW DOES THE NEXT STEP FOR BRISSON LOOK?

After signing a one-year, two-way contract in September, Brisson’s start with the Leafs organization couldn’t have gone much better.

Not only did Brisson, who turns 25 on Thursday, score seven goals in his first six Marlies games, he had the winner in three of the Marlies’ four victories.

Three assists in six games gave Brisson 10 points as the Marlies headed into their home game on Wednesday night against the Hamilton Hammers.

“That’s what I wanted to show, my offensive side of things, and also to keep working away from the puck and 200 feet,” Brisson said. “They’ve been great with me, working with me on that, and making me feel confident.”

In the years since he was the 29th pick overall by the Vegas Golden Knights in 2020, Brisson has played in 27 games in the NHL, including three with the New York Rangers in 2025-26.

For the California native, there’s a box that needs to be checked, potentially, before he gets a look with the Leafs.

It’s about Brisson’s defensive play and consistency with it.

“We have a standard and we have an expectation, and we make sure that he understands it,” Sullivan said. “We don’t need to work on the offensive side of puck. You’re already elite that way, it’s why you were drafted high.

“The play away from the puck, the urgency inside his shifts, that’s what we’ve been working on. He understands that. Hopefully it re-wires him.

“He wants to get better. He’s very coachable, a really good kid. We’ll keep the standard high and hopefully we see some growth from that.”

Brisson is on board.

“My role is more of offensive player, but it’s no excuse — you have to be good on the other side of things. My battles, wall work, playing well in the structure and engaging in those battles and trying to keep the puck … I’m staying in the moment, but I’m ready for (a recall to the Leafs) if that day comes.”

tkoshan@postmedia.com

X: @koshtorontosun

1. 

   World
2. 

   MMA
3. 

   Toronto & GTA
4. 

   Toronto & GTA
5. 

   NHL