TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Lightning have dealt defenseman Darren Raddysh’s rights to the Toronto Maple Leafs for a fifth-round draft pick in 2026, the team announced Friday.
The move is considered a big swing at improving Toronto’s blue line before the start of free agency, and the Leafs signed Raddysh to an eight-year contract worth $68 million, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Friday because financial terms were not disclosed.
Raddysh will count $8.5 million against the salary cap through the 2033-34 season. He had never made more than $1 million per year until now.
The 30-year-old late bloomer cashed in on a breakout season in which he set career highs with 22 goals, 48 assists and 70 points in 73 games. That marked the same amount of points he put up in the previous two seasons combined since becoming a full-time NHL player as recently as 2023.
“We are thrilled to add a defenseman of Darren’s caliber to our organization,” Chayka said. “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 was undrafted despite helping the Erie Otters win the Ontario Hockey League at the junior level in 2016-17. He signed with the Chicago Blackhawks, got traded to the New York Rangers and inked a free-agent deal in 2021 with the Lightning.
He spent a vast majority of that time in the minors and was an All-Star in the American Hockey League before earning a job with Tampa Bay. He thrived this past season while the team dealt with injuries all over and led all players in the league at the position with 10 power-play goals.