A new trade rumor linked New York Rangers forward Taylor Raddysh to the Toronto Maple Leafs during a recent episode of the Toronto Sports Rush podcast.
Host Kyle Andrew mentioned he heard that the Maple Leafs could trade for Raddysh, which would reunite him with his older brother Darren. The rumor hasn’t been substantiated yet by Forever Blueshirts.
“There’s a rumor that the Leafs could be eyeing Taylor Raddysh from the New York Rangers right now, adding a brother dynamic potentially to this hockey team,” Andrew said before asking analyst Pierre McGuire about the possible move.
McGuire compared a potential Raddysh reunion to brothers William and Alexander Nylander playing together briefly with the Maple Leafs two seasons ago. He then analyzed what role Taylor could fill in Toronto.
“Taylor Raddysh is an energy player. Taylor Raddysh is what he is,” McGuire said. “He’s not going to be in your top six. He’s not going to be a guy that manufactures a lot of points. He’s a guy that’s going to do whatever the coach tells him.”
McGuire added that Raddysh could give the Maple Leafs more organizational depth and potentially clear waivers if they wished to assign him to the AHL. He also suggested that being teammates with Darren could be a boost for Taylor. That’s especially in light of an emotional past year when the Raddysh brothers dealt with the decline and eventual death of their father due to cancer.
Maple Leafs rumored to have interest in Rangers’ Taylor Raddysh
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The Maple Leafs acquired Darren in a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning in June, dealing away a fifth-round pick. They then signed the pending unrestricted free agent to an eight-year, $68 million contract.
Darren exploded with a career year in 2025-26, tying Norris Trophy winner Zack Werenski for third among NHL defensemen with 22 goals, and finishing seventh with 70 points. The 30-year-old even received some down-ballot votes for the Norris, which is presented to the League’s best defenseman each year.
The hope in Toronto is that Darren can help revive the Maple Leafs, who missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season and finished one point ahead of the Rangers, the cellar dwellars in the Eastern Conference. And if this latest rumor is true, perhaps the Maple Leafs see older brother Darren helping younger brother Taylor find another level of production, or simply, comfort.
Where Darren is a late-bloomer — he went undrafted and didn’t become an NHL regular until he was 28 — Taylor solidified himself in 2021-22 as a 22-year-old rookie. The next season, he scored 20 goals for the Chicago Blackhawks, but dipped to five seven, and nine the past three seasons with three different teams.
Taylor provided the Rangers with an unexpected scoring boost early last season, recording five goals through his first 12 games. Four came in his first nine appearances, including his second career hat trick against the San Jose Sharks on October 23. He scored twice at even strength, once short-handed, and tied the score in the third period, before the Rangers lost a wild 7-6 decision in overtime.
That pace did not continue, though. The 28-year-old went without a goal in 15 games during November and scored four more times over his final 56 appearances. He remained part of the Rangers’ middle-six, finishing with nine goals, 10 assists, and a plus-five rating in 68 games, while averaging 11:50 of ice time. He also contributed on the penalty kill, though his role decreased as the season went on.
Entering the final season of a two-year, $3 million contract signed with the Rangers last summer, Raddysh is an affordable yet expendable player. Younger bottom-six forwards Tye Kartye, Adam Sykora, and Jaroslav Chmelar stepped up for the Rangers in the second half of the season. With Will Cuylle likely targeted for third-line duty, Matt Rempe healthy again, and first-year pro Liam Greentree knocking on the door for an NHL opportunity, the bottom six may not have room for Raddysh.
Though each played for the Blackhawks, Lightning and Rangers organizations, Taylor and Darren have never been NHL teammates. The Rangers acquired Darren from the Blackhawks for Peter Holland in February 2019, but he never appeared in an NHL game for the Blueshirts. He recorded 47 points in 108 games over parts of three seasons with the Hartford Wolf Pack before signing with Tampa Bay in 2021. Taylor was a second-round prick (No. 58 overall) by the Lightning in the 2016 NHL Draft.
Ryan is a communications major at Penn State University and a current intern with Forever Blueshirts. A lifelong New … More about Ryan McInerney
