The Vancouver Canucks have made a surprise trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Hours after centre Aatu Räty cleared waivers, the Canucks traded him to Toronto in exchange for two players, Jacob Quillan and Brandon Buhr.
“We want to thank Aatu for all he has done for the organization, and we wish him well in Toronto,” said Canucks GM Ryan Johnson. “By acquiring Jacob and Brandon this move gives our group two new young players to work with as we continue to look for ways to improve our overall depth.”
General Manager Ryan Johnson announced today that the #Canucks have acquired Jacob Quillan and Brandon Buhr from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for Aatu Räty.
DETAILS | https://t.co/v1izEcONh0 pic.twitter.com/xC6ZR9Tv5z
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) October 15, 2026
Quillan, 24, played for the Penticton Vees in the BCHL before spending three years at Quinnipiac University. The Leafs signed the Dartmouth, N.S. native as an undrafted free agent in 2024.
A 6-foot-1, 204-pound centre, Quillan has appeared in 24 NHL games, scoring three points (1-2-3). Quillan posted good numbers in the AHL last season, tallying 36 points (14-22-36) in 40 games with the Toronto Marlies during the regular season, before adding nine points (3-6-9) in 19 playoff games.
Buhr is a Burnaby native who also spent time in the BCHL and NCAA before landing with the Leafs as an undrafted free agent. The 6-foot-2, 204-pound forward signed with Toronto earlier this year.
Buhr led Union College in scoring last season, notching 36 points in 35 games. He has appeared in five AHL games this season, registering two points (0-2-2).
Räty never appeared to be part of the plan for the Canucks this season. The 23-year-old centre dressed in the first two preseason games, alongside mostly AHL players, before getting into just four regular-season games.
While Räty’s faceoff prowess was undeniable, the rest of his game was lacking in the eyes of the coaching staff. With Filip Chytil returning from injury on Thursday, the Canucks deemed him expendable.
Räty has played 118 games at the NHL level, with the Canucks and New York Islanders, scoring 29 points (14-15-29).
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