MM invitation is not heard - A call for help from Finland's NHL forward to IS.

Vancouver Canucks center Aatu Räty, 23, is eager to play in the spring ice hockey World Championship in Switzerland. However, there has been no word yet from the national team head coach Antti Pennanen or GM Jere Lehtinen.

– I have worked very hard and I would gladly be involved if I get the call. I was on standby at the Olympics. I have great memories from all the youth national team events. I suppose the activities are quite similar for adults as well, Räty tells Ilta-Sanomat.

Räty also mentions his older brother, 24-year-old Aku Räty, who had a strong season playing for Kärpät. Playing together with his brother in the World Championship is a long-time dream for Räty.

– But whether Aku is there or not, it would be nice if they called and invited me. Of course, I would probably first have to go to the camp to show my skills, he says.

This season, Räty has played 60 regular season games and collected 13 points (4+9). Behind the statistics, there is also important work for the team.

– If you look at my strengths, I am second in the NHL faceoff standings and at the top of the plus-minus and hits statistics in the team. These are of course just certain statistics, but they are things I focus on, Räty lists.

Especially Räty’s faceoff work has been excellent. He has won 417 faceoffs out of 675 (61.8 %) this season. That is an unusually good result for a young player. Faceoffs are usually dominated by experienced veterans like Claude Giroux (62.8 %), J.T. Miller (61.5 %), and Jonathan Toews (61.4 %).