Darren Raddysh’s Contract Already Aging Well For Maple Leafs

It’s been just over three weeks since John Chayka and the Toronto Maple Leafs acquired defenceman Darren Raddysh in a sign-and-trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning. It was a big way for the team to kick off their offseason and it landed them a veteran defenceman coming off a career year.

At the time, the eight-year, $68-million contract seemed liked a lot for the 30-year-old blueliner. Some argued that it wouldn’t age well. While other suggested that he’s simply a power play specialist. Regardless of the argument, the message was the same. It was a strong acquisition, but one that came at a higher-than-preferred salary for eight years.

That was until the defensive market started to change over the last week since NHL free agency opened up on July 1. Suddenly, three weeks into being a Maple Leafs defenceman, Raddysh’s $8.5-million annual average value (AAV) doesn’t look so bad.

Blackhawks Blew Defensive Contracts Out With Byram Deal

The contract the really changed the perception of Raddysh’s recent deal came when the Chicago Blackhawks signed Bowen Byram after acquiring him in a deal that saw the 2026 fourth overall pick (Daxon Rudolph) go the other way.

The Blackhawks followed up the trade by locking in Byram – who is certainly a consistent, albeit relatively average defenceman – with a six-year, $75 million contract. The deal means Byram’s AAV is $12.5 million per season through the 2032-2033 season.

By comparison, Byram is five years younger than Raddysh and while the latter had a career-year in 2025-26 with 22 goals and 70 points in 73 games for the Lightning, Byram’s career-high is 42 points in 82 games – a feat he accomplished last season as well.

It’s not a knock on Byram by any means, however, there were many that were surprised by the number that the Blackhawks gave the young defenceman following the trade to acquire him. So much so that his AAV for the next seven seasons actually takes some of the heat off the Maple Leafs and the $8.5 million per season they sign Raddysh to.

Defensive Market Exploded During Free Agency

It wasn’t just Byram that saw an increased number on his next contract. In fact, outside of the proven players like Rasmus Andersson with the Vegas Golden Knights and John Carlson with the Lightning, the defensive market saw an upturn on contracts this summer – a sign of what’s to come.

Andersson re-signed with the Golden Knights for seven years and $59.5 million – an AAV match to Raddysh’s $8.5 million. While Carlson landed with the Lightning on an AAV of $8.5 million on a short two-year term.

One of the more questionable signings on defense involved one of Carlson’s former teammates in Anaheim – Jacob Trouba. The 32-year-old Trouba secured a four-year deal with the San Jose Sharks carrying an AAV of $8.25 million. Now, he brings a physical presence to the blue line as well, but Trouba had just 35 points in 81 games last season with the Ducks. His career-high is 50 in 2018-19. Still, he’s just shy of Raddysh’s yearly cap hit.

Other Comparable Contracts Signed by Defensemen

As for the younger available defensemen on the market, while they didn’t reach exact comparable numbers when it came to their AAV, the trend in which the defensive market took this offseason suggests that the Maple Leafs likely signed Raddysh at the right time – given the sudden increase.

After acquiring 22-year-old Simon Nemec from the New Jersey Devils in a trade, the Calgary Flames signed the former second overall pick to a five-year deal worth $36.25 million – or an AAV of $7.25 million. This comes after just his third season in the NHL and a career-high in 2025-26 of 11 goals and 26 points in 68 games.

In Anaheim, the Ducks also signed one of their young blueliners this offseason in Pavel Mintyukov. Also 22, he signed a similar deal to Nemec – at five years and with an AAV of $7.2 million. Mintyukov will be another player paid for what the Ducks hope he’ll be able to produce as the young defenceman is coming off a season of eight goals and 22 points in 73 games. His career-high came in his rookie season in 2023-24 when he had 28 points in 63 regular season games.

Even if Raddysh turns into strictly a powerplay specialist, the fact that the Maple Leafs were able to get him at an AAV of $8.5 million, especially with the climbing cap, is worth discussing as a contract that has already aged in favour of the Maple Leafs.

Like it or not, the market for defensemen has changed erratically this summer. Given the trending numbers, the Maple Leafs got a deal in signing Raddysh long-term.