The Toronto Maple Leafs have made a blockbuster deal to add to their defence corps.
The Maple Leafs completed a sign-and-trade for Tampa Bay Lightning defenceman Darren Raddysh, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported on Friday.
In return, the Lightning received a fifth-round pick in the June draft. Raddysh signed an eight-year deal worth $68 million with an AAV of $8.5 million, Sportsnet can confirm.
"He's certainly a late-bloomer in terms of offensive production," Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka told reporters Friday after the move was announced. "We have a lot of confidence that the fundamentals in his game have consistently improved."
The Toronto native was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
Chayka mentioned a desire to prevent Raddysh from hitting free agency in the first place.
"Certainly, free agency is only available to those who make it there and you never know," the Leafs GM said. "So we always have Plan A, Plan B, Plan C and, obviously, Darren with his background being the top potential free agent, we felt very strongly about Plan A.
"The opportunity to secure, in our opinion, the top free agent is an organizational win."
Despite how optimistic Chayka appeared to be about the acquisition, he did acknowledge some the drawbacks of the move, but still believes it was the right one.
"For us, it's an aggressive move," Chayka said. "It's not without risk, of course, but we just felt that, given the stage we're at, and what he brings to the table, it was worth pursuing."
Later, he added: "Having a right shot at the top that can bomb it is an obvious strength."
Raddysh, 30, had a breakout season with the Lightning in 2025-26, posting 22 goals and 70 points. He was also a plus-21 and averaged 22:42 of ice time. All were career highs.
“We are thrilled to add a defenceman of Darren’s caliber to our organization,” Chayka said in a statement provided by the team. “Darren has emerged as one of the NHL’s premier two-way defencemen, 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.”
Undrafted after five seasons with the OHL's Erie Otters, Raddysh signed with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2018 and spent parts of six seasons in the American Hockey League before becoming an NHL regular.
Raddysh was signed by the Lightning as a free agent on July 28, 2021, and has career totals of 35 goals and 108 assists for 143 points in 249 games.
--with files from The Canadian Press
