The Islanders’ 2021 second-round pick is locked in.

On Saturday afternoon, the New York Islanders announced that they had signed second-round pick Aatu Räty to a three-year entry-level contract.

Once seen as the best prospect in his class, Räty’s performance and work ethic declined and deteriorated over the past few years, so much so that he fell to the second-round of the 2021 NHL draft.

The Islanders took Räty with their first pick of the draft and it was a good one. Regardless of Räty’s recent issues, he has an incredibly high ceiling and has proven it since being drafted.

The 18-year-old scored a whopping 14 points in six games with Finland’s World Juniors Summer Showcase team.

The Islanders’ early commitment to Räty shows how much they like him as a prospect and that they have faith in his continued development.