The Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that the hockey club has acquired defenceman Darren Raddysh from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Toronto’s fifth-round selection in the 2026 NHL Draft. Raddysh has signed an eight-year contract extension with the Maple Leafs.
“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, skated in 73 games with the Tampa Bay Lightning last season, recording a career-high 70 points (22 goals, 48 assists), before registering a goal and an assist in seven playoff games. In 249 career NHL regular season games, all with Tampa Bay, the Toronto native has amassed 143 points (35 goals, 108 assists) while adding four points (two goals, two assists) in 20 playoff games.
Previously, Raddysh was named to the AHL’s First All Star Team for the 2022-23 season and represented Syracuse as a member of the North All-Stars at the 2023 AHL All-Star Classic.
As a member of the Ontario Hockey League’s Erie Otters, Raddysh captured the J. Ross Robertson Cup as an OHL Champion, was named to the OHL’s First All Star Team, and received both the Max Kaminsky Trophy as the OHL’s Most Outstanding Defenceman and the Leo Lalonde Trophy as the OHL’s Overage Player of the Year for 2016-17. He was named to the Memorial Cup All Star Team in 2017 as the Otters finished as runners-up.
Raddysh was originally signed to an entry-level contract by the Chicago Blackhawks on May 21, 2018.
