The Toronto Maple Leafs have officially announced the acquisition of defenceman Darren Raddysh from the Tampa Bay Lightning, the team announced on Friday morning.

The news originally broke in the middle of night on early Friday morning, with Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman reporting the sign-and-trade just before 2:00 AM eastern time. The Maple Leafs made the move official on Friday morning and will be sending the Lightning a fifth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft in exchange for his rights. TSN’s Chris Johnston reported this morning that the deal is eight years long and worth $8.5 million annually.

“We are thrilled to add a defenceman of Darren’s caliber to our organization,” said Maple Leafs General Manager John Chayka in a press release. “Darren has emerged as one of the NHL’s premier two-way defensemen, 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.”

Raddysh, 30, is coming off a massive breakout season with the Tampa Bay Lightning that saw him score 22 goals and add 70 points in 73 games. He had shown promise in the two years prior, with 33 points in 2023-24 and 37 in 2024-25, but had a massive opportunity with Victor Hedman missing most of the 2025-26 season and took full advantage of it. He has one of, if not the best slap-shot by a defenceman in the league and is sure to help a power play that has vastly underperformed in recent years.

While the deal is on the pricier side, it’s a gamble the Leafs are comfortable taking with the status of their franchise right now. Chayka spoke about a need to revamp the defensive corps, specifically in the puck-moving department, and with both Raddysh and Emil Andrae in the picture now, the Leafs are already vastly improved in that department.

The signing marks the end of an incredibly busy week for Chayka, following the Joseph Woll-Andrae trade and the hiring of Jim Hiller as head coach.