The Toronto Maple Leafs have executed a major overhaul on their blue line, landing defenseman Darren Raddysh from the Tampa Bay Lightning in a blockbuster sign-and-trade deal.
Deal Details
In exchange, Tampa Bay receives a 2026 fifth-round draft pick. Raddysh, a Toronto native coming off a career-high 70-point season, has locked in an eight-year contract extension worth over $8 million annually.
Lightning vice president and general manager Julien BriseBois and Maple Leafs GM John Chayka announced the transaction on Friday. The move brings the 30-year-old Raddysh back to his hometown of Toronto just ahead of July 1, when he was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent.
Raddysh is fresh off a breakout 2025-26 campaign where he established himself as a frontline offensive threat. The 6-foot-1, 202-pound defenseman skated in 73 games for the Lightning this season, setting a new franchise record for goals by a defenseman with 22.
Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.
