Welcome back to NHL Rumours here at Last Word On Hockey. This edition focuses on the Toronto Maple Leafs and one particular piece of chatter making the rounds. The Toronto Maple Leafs are unsurprisingly a major part of ongoing NHL Rumours. This time around, the rumour mill is grinding with talk of one impending unrestricted free agent defenceman being in the team’s sights.
NHL Rumours: Maple Leafs Have Sights Set on Darren Raddysh
Rumour: Notable commentator and former NHLer Nick Kypreos raised the question of Tampa Bay Lightning blueliner Darren Raddysh potentially ditching Florida sunshine for the bright lights of Southern Ontario.
Analysis: In a February 5 piece in the Toronto Star, Kypreos ventured out on a limb to discuss the possibility of the Leafs targeting Raddysh in free agency. The comment kicked up a storm on NHL Rumours, fueled by the Maple Leafs’ evident need for offensive help.
“If there is a team that needs him more than Toronto, please let me know. He’s a right-handed shot with a bomb and would be a perfect upgrade for an ongoing issue on their power play.”
Fair point. But the path for Raddysh to land in Toronto isn’t quite straightforward. The Lightning would first need to let the 29-year-old hit UFA status. That’s something that the Bolts might not let happen.
But even if the Bolts were unable to sign Raddysh due to salary cap issues, the Maple Leafs would have to contend with salary cap issues of their own. That’s why NHL Rumours related to Raddysh landing in Toronto may not be quite so easy to parse out.
Raddy to Toronto Talk Neglects One Thing
The chatter involving Raddysh and the Maple Leafs fails to acknowledge one key thing. While the Leafs have a clear need for a right-shot defenceman to support their blueline, Raddysh could be the hottest UFA defenceman this summer.
The free-agent field will likely be paper-thin. That’s why a blueliner like Raddysh could garner significant attention. That’s something the Maple Leafs might have to contend with. And it doesn’t guarantee that they’ll be able to get ahead of other teams.
Could the Maple Leafs find themselves in a bidding war for Raddysh? That’s one possibility that NHL Rumours don’t account for. That is, of course, unless the Lightning find a way to lock Raddysh up before he even hits the market.
Raddysh Solves Major Need for Maple Leafs
Now, the entire reason why this conversation has gained any sort of traction is the Leafs’ apparent need. The loss of defenceman Chris Tanev has left a big hole in the team’s right side.
While Raddysh is not a shutdown blueliner like Tanev, he’s an upgrade over what the club currently has. That’s why NHL Rumours won’t go away until Raddysh signs another contract elsewhere.
That said, the Leafs should take Raddysh’s season this year with a grain of salt. He’s been steady in his first two full seasons. But his sudden breakout may be more of an outlier than a harbinger of things to come.
Yes, the chatter will not go away ever for the Maple Leafs. But some NHL rumours seem more realistic than others. This rumour is one of those that seem implausible. Then again, anything can change. Raddysh is from Toronto. That connection might be the determining factor for the Leafs to land a blueline solution.
Main Photo Credit: Peter Creveling-Imagn Images