Leafs add D Darren Raddysh in sign-and-trade deal with Lightning

The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Darren Raddysh from the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday in a sign-and-trade deal, taking the defenseman off the upcoming NHL free agent market.

As part of the deal, the Toronto native signed an eight-year contract with the Lightning prior to the move. Financial terms were not disclosed by the teams, however TSN reported it holds an average annual value of $8.5 million for a total value of $68 million.

That represents a significant bump in pay after Raddysh played under a two-year, $1.95 million contract signed in August 2023.

The Lightning received a fifth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft for Raddysh, who could have become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

"I couldn't be happier to be joining a great team, a great group of players, and I'm excited to be here for eight years and play for the team I grew up watching," Raddysh said.

Raddysh, 30, recorded career highs in goals (22), assists (48), points (70), rating (plus-21), power-play goals (10), power-play points (26), game-winning goals (six) and ice time per game (22:42). His point total nearly matched the sum of his previous four seasons (73).

"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."

Raddysh recorded 143 points (35 goals, 108 assists) in 249 regular-season games with the Lightning.

--Field Level Media

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This story was originally published June 19, 2026 at 7:31 AM.