The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired defenceman Darren Raddysh from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Toronto’s fifth-round selection in the 2026 NHL Draft. The deal started late Thursday night and was announced Friday morning.
“We are thrilled to add a defenceman of Darren’s caliber to our organization,” said Maple Leafs General Manager John Chayka. “Darren has emerged as one of the NHL’s premier two-way defensemen, combining elite puck-moving ability with poise, competitiveness, and strong play in all three zones. He strengthens our blue line in every situation and is exactly the type of player we want helping lead this team.”
Raddysh, 30, had a breakout season with the Tampa Bay Lightning, posting a career-high 70 points in 73 games and adding two playoff points. Across 249 NHL games, all with Tampa Bay, he has 143 points. The worry here is that the Leafs are banking too hard on one solid season when the cards lined up just right. The likelihood that he puts up the same numbers in his late 30s is low.
However, if he does produce near the same level again, it’s a great deal for the Maple Leafs. At his best, Raddysh is a top-pair offensive defenceman with a bomb from the point. He has strong puck-moving skills and is solid defensively.
The Toronto native earned AHL First All-Star honors in 2022-23 and appeared in the AHL All-Star Classic. In junior, he starred with the Erie Otters, winning an OHL title and multiple top defenceman awards in 2016-17.
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