Darren Raddysh was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs by the Tampa Bay Lightning for a fifth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft on Friday.
As part of the sign-and-trade move, the defenseman, who could have become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, signed an eight-year contract with Tampa Bay before being sent to Toronto. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The 30-year-old defenseman had NHL career highs in goals (22), assists (48), points (70), plus-minus (plus-21), power-play goals (10), power-play points (26), game-winning goals (six), shots on goal (212) and ice time per game (22:42) playing in 73 games this season. He nearly matched his point total from his first four seasons in the League when he had 73 points (13 goals, 60 assists) in 176 games.
Raddysh had a goal and an assist in seven Stanley Cup Playoff games.
“We are thrilled to add a defenseman of Darren’s caliber to our organization,” Maple Leafs general manager John 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.”
Signed by the Chicago Blackhawks as an undrafted free agent on May 21, 2018, Raddysh has 143 points (35 goals, 108 assists) in 249 regular-season games, all with the Lightning, and four points (two goals, two assists) in 20 playoff games.
It’s the second significant player move Toronto has made this week in what has been a whirlwind offseason thus far.
On Tuesday, the Maple Leafs acquired goalie Samuel Ersson, defenseman Emil Andrae and a third-round pick in the 2026 draft from the Philadelphia Flyers for goalie Joseph Woll and defenseman Simon Benoit.
The next day Jim Hiller was named the new coach, replacing Craig Berube, who was fired on May 13.
All these moves were made by Chayka, who was hired as the Toronto Leafs GM on May 3, along with Maple Leafs legend Mats Sundin, who was hired as an executive adviser.
Toronto also owns the No. 1 pick in the 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft, which will be held June 26-27 at KeyBank Center in Buffalo. The first round will be June 26 (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS) and rounds 2-7 on June 27 (11 a.m. ET; NHLN, ESPN+, SN).
The Maple Leafs are expected to take either Penn State forward Gavin McKenna or forward Ivar Stenberg of Frolunda of the Swedish Hockey League.
