Toronto Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka held a Zoom media availability on Friday.
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Darren Raddysh is coming off a career year. The Maple Leafs are betting it’s a sign of things to come.
The Leafs acquired the right-shot defenceman, who was due to hit the open market on July 1, from the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday in exchange for a fifth-round pick in this year’s draft. Raddysh has signed an eight-year extension with an annual average value of $8.5-million.
“It’s an aggressive move,” acknowledged general manager John Chayka. “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, [we] felt it was worth pursuing.”
One year after losing the top free agent, winger Mitch Marner, the Leafs have landed one of the biggest names.
“The opportunity to secure, in our opinion, the top free agent is an organizational win,” Chayka boasted.
With captain Auston Matthews having only two years left on his contract, the pressure is on Chayka to get the Leafs back into the playoffs quickly. Raddysh should be a big help in that regard.
The 30-year-old’s production last season eclipsed all the other defencemen due to be available in free agency. He piled up 22 goals and 70 points in 73 games. His previous career highs were six goals and 37 points.
Among defencemen last season, only Jakob Chychrun (26) and Matthew Schaefer (23) scored more goals.
“Certainly, a late bloomer in terms of offensive production,” Chayka said. “We really saw his career as a continual progression. While from a points perspective last year was a large jump, we had a lot of confidence that the fundamentals of his game had consistently improved and there was several jumps that led to this.”
The Leafs like how Raddysh, who never made more than $975,000 in any previous season, breaks the puck out and matches up against top competition.
“He’s a player that can join the rush and supplement offence, transitions well, defends the blueline well,” Chayka said. “He started adding up all the elements that go into the end result of good production and kind of the robust play of all of that gave us a lot of confidence that we’re getting a defenceman that we haven’t had in this organization for a long time.”
Improving the team’s back end has understandably been a top priority for Chayka. Toronto struggled mightily to move the puck up the ice during last season’s 28th-place finish.
The Leafs acquired Emil Andrae, who is a restricted free agent, as part of a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers earlier in the week with Chayka highlighting the 5-foot-9 rearguard’s puck-moving ability.
“We’ve got some world-class forwards that, when you get the puck in their hands with time and space, it’s going to be a good result for us,” Chayka noted.
Raddysh, who stands 6-foot-1, 201 pounds, owns a cannon of a shot and should bolster a power play that has been surprisingly inconsistent over the years, especially in the playoffs, despite the high-end talent available. Toronto finished 15th overall in power-play percentage last season.
“As you’re kind of putting together a ghost roster, if you’ve got left shots off the flank, having a right shot up top that can bomb it is an obvious strength,” Chayka noted. “It’s just really hard to put those things together at times. So when it does come together as a manager, you know, it’s really appealing.”
Ten of Raddysh’s goals came on the power play last season.
Morgan Rielly has occupied the quarterback spot on Toronto’s top unit for most of this era. TSN Hockey Insider Chris Johnston reports that the Leafs and Rielly’s agent J.P. Barry are looking for a place for the 32-year-old defenceman, who has a no-move clause in his contract, to start fresh.
Raddysh did not play on the penalty kill for the Lightning, but Chayka repeatedly highlighted the well-rounded nature of his game.
“I think his fundamental play maybe doesn’t get the recognition it deserves,” he said. “I think this is a player 5-on-5 that really moves the needle. He’s a smart player, competitive player, plays the game the right way, [and a] quiet leader.”
Raddysh is expected to meet with the media early next week.
“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,” he said in a statement issued by the Leafs.
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The Leafs are also interested in improving at the centre position, but they aren’t alone.
“We definitely see it as an area of opportunity,” Chayka said. “I’d say probably three-quarters of the teams in the league would like to improve their centre position. So, yeah, I think it’s obvious that would be something that would make a lot of sense. But we also feel like there are some players in our pipeline that are interesting as well and we want to make sure that we’re also considering internal candidates as we kind of canvas different options.”
After Matthews and John Tavares, Toronto’s depth chart down the middle is murky. The Leafs, under former general manager Brad Treliving, traded away centre Nicolas Roy at the deadline last season.
Jacob Quillan, who got into 23 games with the Leafs last season, and Luke Haymes, who made his NHL debut at the end of the season playing in four games, are among the internal options.
Max Domi is another option to play centre, but his availability for the start of the season is uncertain after complications stemming from off-season surgery.
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Chayka is far from done as he continues to remake the roster.
“We’re still really early in the off-season,” he said. “We’re going to evaluate everything. We’re in a better place than we were yesterday, but certainly not where we’d like to be still.”
Matthew Knies is a potential trade chip for Chayka. The 23-year-old winger, who is under contract for five more seasons at a $7.75-million cap hit, is a rare combination of size and skill and doesn’t have any trade protection.
“The idea that we’re going to improve the roster by moving a top young player, you know, anything’s possible,” Chayka said. “I guess, it’s not probable. But, no doubt, I think it makes for good writing and good interest for people. But as we think about our team and how we improve, you know, that’s a tough bar to hurdle.”
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The Marlies are one win away from a Calder Cup championship and Ben Danford has been one of the feel-good stories during the unexpected run. The 20-year-old defenceman joined the team after the conclusion of his season in the Ontario Hockey League season and has not looked out of place in a third-pair role.
“High-character kid who is doing everything he can to maximize his abilities,” Chayka observed. “He really understands his role and what he brings to the table. He is committed to it. I’ve been really impressed. He is on a great path.”
But don’t expect Danford to be on the Leafs to start next season.
“It will be a process with him,” Chayka cautioned. “We have a lot of great options now on the right side of our defence. We will bring him up the right way. At the right time, when afforded the opportunity, he certainly projects to be an impact player at the NHL level eventually.”
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Marlies lines in Game 4 of the Calder Cup Finals on Thursday:
Groulx - Shaw - Lettieri
Cowan - Quillan- Tverberg
Pare - Haymes - Nylander
Sim - Johnstone - Pezzetta
Thrun - Benning
Mermis - Villeneuve
Rifai - Danford
Akhtyamov starts
Hildeby
