After Breakthrough Year, Will Raddysh Stay or Will He Go?
- Mike Smith
- 18 hours ago
- 5 min read
By Mike Smith | Thunderstruck Sports
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh had a breakthrough year in 2025-26. Scoring 22 goals, Raddysh broke the team record for most goals scored by a defenseman. He also grounded a Tampa Bay defense mired by injuries, and found his niche on the Bolts' power play unit. Raddysh has also quickly become a fan favorite. As he enters free agency this offseason, one question remains:
Will he stay in Tampa Bay, or will he find fortune elsewhere?
Raddysh's work with fellow Lightning defenseman JJ Moser created a unique chemistry in 2025-26. The duo created a strong bond this season, with Raddysh providing offensive production from the blue line while Moser provided defensive agility and physicality.
Raddysh worked his way up into the Lightning roster with the hard work and dedication needed to make an NHL roster. The right-hander spent time within the Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers organizations before signing with Tampa Bay before the 2021-22 season.
Raddysh made his NHL debut against the Florida Panthers on December 30, 2021.
The Caledon, Ontario, native spent some of that season with his younger brother, Taylor, in the Lightning organization until Taylor was sent to the Blackhawks in the March 2022 Brandon Hagel trade.
After a few moves between Tampa Bay and the Lightning's AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, over the next two years, Raddysh's final callup from Syracuse came on March 4, 2023.
He's been a Bolts mainstay since.
"A lot of times, you thought maybe you would never make it, or you never would play in the NHL," Raddysh said. "[My brother Taylor] ended up making Tampa, and being the older brother, it made me always believe that if he can do it, I can do it as well".
The 'Bald Eagle' Lands with Fans
Raddysh's popularity among fans has grown steadily over the past three years. He played the full complement of 82 games during his first full season with the team in 2023-24, recording six goals and 27 assists for 33 points. More impressive was his 105 blocks and 75 hits.
With midseason injuries to Erik Cernak and Lightning captain Victor Hedman (and then a late-season leave of absence), Raddysh had time to work with Moser and open up his level of play, including his scoring abilities from the blue line.
"I think this year I really took an emphasis on trying to be harder to play against in my own zone and trying to protect the puck as best as possible," Raddysh said last week. "It's something that I take pride in as well".
Setting the team record for most goals scored by a defenseman was icing on the cake.
“What's this team been around, 30-plus years? And he scores the most of all defensemen,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said on April 4th when he broke the record. "You’ve gotta tip your cap to him. It’s impressive."
Raddysh's 22 goals surpassed the previous record of 20 set by Dan Boyle (2006-07) and Hedman (2021-22).
“You see his shot. You see how dangerous it is, how fast it is. You see the stats like shots over 90 mph, and he’s leading the league by a country mile,” Moser said. “That’s going to translate into points, into goals. And it’s not only how hard he shoots it, but also the way that he always gets the shot through. He always gets it on net....and it’s highly impressive.”
Fans continue to flock to the "Bald Eagle," as he has become known. Bald Eagle t-shirts became available midseason, and Lightning faithful bought them in droves.
“He's one of the best D-men in the world, I think. He can defend well, he's got a bomb of a shot,” Lightning forward Gage Goncalves said. “He makes super great plays coming out of his own zone. So I’m happy to see him get the recognition and all the points he deserves.”
“I think he was just trying to round out some other parts of his game, but his confidence level now with the puck and what he can and can't do, it's taken him a couple years to kind of figure that out in this league…His confidence level’s been big since he's been on the power play full time, and he's shooting that puck with confidence,” Cooper said. “And anytime you can shoot it as hard as he can, that really helps. But good on him. You always like to see good guys get rewarded, and Raddy’s a good guy.”
Raddysh remained humble while earning the scoring record and chose to focus on his contribution to the team's success.
"It's not just getting points and joining the rush," he said. "It's about not getting scored on and making sure you're good defensively".
Lightning management took notice this year, as well.
"Last year, when we were holding this exit press conference, the type of season he (Raddysh) just had was not on the radar for us," Tampa Bay General Manager Julien BriseBois said last week. "And you need pleasant surprises along the way to offset injuries or guys that may not have necessarily as good a year as has been projected. And he stepped up big time when we needed him this year."
Questions Remain As Free Agency Looms
As free agency is set to begin this summer, the question remains for Raddysh: Will the Bald Eagle stay perched in Tampa, or will he test his wings and fly away?
Raddysh was very quiet on the subject in the final team interviews following the end of the season last week. Still smarting from the first-round playoff exit at the hands of Montreal, he kept things simple at the podium.
"I'm very thankful for everything Tampa has given me; they gave me a shot to play in the NHL," Raddysh said. "I can't say anything bad about this organization. It's given me everything I wanted to do; the business side will take time and let those guys deal [with it]".
Several teams are rumored to be interested in Raddysh's services.
The Toronto Maple Leafs need a power play specialist and right-shot defenseman. San Jose has the need and the cap room to overpay to sign him.
Dallas and Anaheim are also rumored to be looking to him to strengthen their bluelines, while he is considered a fit to fill Boston's need for a top-four right-shot defenseman.
Obviously, Tampa Bay would like to retain the rights to their breakout star; however, they face high contract demands that may push Raddysh out into the open market.
Raddysh has been viewed as a steal by Tampa Bay over the last two years, earning $975,000 each year. His demands are going to increase exponentially.
BreisBois chose not to pursue an extension for Raddysh during the season and remains hopeful that he re-signs with the organization.
"I have already reached out to his agent. We've been in touch throughout the second half of the year, just sharing concepts, ideas," BreisBois said last Tuesday. "I've reached out to all of our free agents' agents as of yesterday to let them know, 'Give me a little bit of time here, let us digest this loss. Let the dust settle, do our due diligence, and we'll get back to you with the type of opportunities we have for you, or not, going forward."
Although disappointed with the results of a fourth-straight first-round exit for the Lightning this year, Raddysh has one goal in mind in the next few weeks:
"I’m kind of enjoying being a dad. I get to spend more time with my son now," he said. "(I'm) Just going to enjoy being a dad and the summer, (and) get back to it in a few weeks."
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