Confirmed with Link: Leafs acquire Darren Raddysh for 2026 5th | Raddysh signs, 8 years, $8.5M AAV

[notbias]

I think we want Reilly's cap hit off the team to spend elsewhere.
He is OK, would be better with the new coach but easily replaceable.

If Reilly isn't PP1 or a PK guy he isn't a fit for this roster.

They have a lot of cap space. I don't think it is required right now.

I'd take a chance on him rebounding... his point totals dropped by like 20 points a season under Berube.

Last season under Keefe, he was 14th in EVP for D (only 72 GP too), so it isn't like he needs the PP to produce.

 

[Gallagbi]

Yea, it also might have been one of those "initial offers" and the were waiting on the monstrous overpay counter offer and then the two sides get to work meeting in the middle.

With Mcdonagh 37 and Hedman turning 36 this year (and under contract for 3 more seasons each), the Bolts are going to need to do some heavy lifting on D soon. Either one of those guys could fall off a cliff as early as this season.

Which could also be why they don't want to sink 8 years into a 30 year old D.

 

[Rare Jewel]

PP#1

Raddysh
McKenna Matthews Nylander
Knies

34 in the middle/bumper, interesting... they used him there at the Olympics.

Him or Nylander is the most likely for that spot, assuming JT isn't.

Hiller will have options.

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

It's more about the length of the deal. Pay him 8.5 for three years? Fine, whatever. If it looks ugly year one, it's still not a crisis.

The guy has had one great season, and that came while getting PP time with the second best offensive talent in the game in Kucherov. How's he going to look in Toronto? How's it going to look in four years? That's my concern.

Supposedly he has no trade protection as part of his deal. That means you can trade him to a cap floor team at some point. I just wish they front loaded the deal so they can just trade the cap hit, should it ever come to that point down the road. Let's wait for details.

 

[ULF_55]

No trade protection on Raddysh?

Insane if true

I don't see any details yet on the contract on PuckPedia nor CapWages.

I would guess there will be both signing bonuses in Florida, and NMC / NTC clauses yet to be reported.

 

[CtrlAltDel]

No trade protection is a massive win, if true! Leafs haters in Shambles!

A lot more people now are saying to Chayka:

 

[Divine]

About the contract:

NHL contract grades: Darren Raddysh is a gamble worth taking for the Maple Leafs

The Leafs are swinging for the fences with Raddysh. It's a risk they have to take.

www.nytimes.com

That the contract is easy to move with no signing bonuses or trade protection is another plus.

 

[usernamezrhardtodo]

If you know of a young RD with a cannon of a shot that has 1st PP QB potential and is currently undervalued/underpaid - and available - then yes, the Leafs should have been all over that player.

The trick is, who is that player?

Don't forget to add that the supposed 1st PP Qb out there has to be be free. No assets needed to get him (a 5th is nothing). I'll keep looking like the rest of the league is doing....

 

[FerrisRox]

Oh get over it for f**k sakes. The cap is going up and the last years of the contract can be buried.

How do they bury the last years of the contract? How do you bury an $8.5 million cap hit?

 

[The Iceman]

Franson didn’t really have a bomb. He was good at getting a wrister through traffic but not really the same thing guys like Raddysh or McCabe did

He was so big and powerful.

I have lots of memories of his half slappers.

AND

What could have been. Never would have had to buy his own beer in Toronto.
He scored 2 goals in that infamous game 7 collapse against Boston.
One was a bomb of a shot.

Still unfathomable to blow a 3 goal lead in the final 11 minutes of a game 7.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

They have a lot of cap space. I don't think it is required right now.

I'd take a chance on him rebounding... his point totals dropped by like 20 points a season under Berube.

Last season under Keefe, he was 14th in EVP for D (only 72 GP too), so it isn't like he needs the PP to produce.

I think we should be willing to listen on offers for him....I don't love the idea of selling him at his absolute lowest value and watching him bounce back somewhere else though. I don't think he is nearly as bad as he played under Berube last year.

 

[Zybalto]

How do they bury the last years of the contract? How do you bury an $8.5 million cap hit?

I see you are unfamiliar with a little place called Robidas island....

 

[Fogelhund]

There is going to be trade protection.. .he wants to be in Toronto.

He's from Toronto. His Dad passed last year, and his Mom is in Toronto. His GF is from Toronto... he doesn't want to be anywhere else.

 

[SprDaVE]

I see you are unfamiliar with a little place called Robidas island....

Habs fans should be aware of Robidas island... Patrick Laine stayed there!

 

[HamiltonNHL]

How many top UFAs sign a contract without protection?

I guess it really isn't a serious question about having one, more you, like the rest of us, are interested in the details of his contract.

He wanted the payday.
His total previous earnings were $5.5

He got more money to have less trade protection

 

[kb]

How do they bury the last years of the contract? How do you bury an $8.5 million cap hit?

Why do they have to bury it? I knew the crew from other boards would come baying about any inane thing.

There's no trade protection on this contract.

But hey, by all means feel free to leave your home board and come shit all over this one anytime.

 

[TakeTheBody]

Seems like either Reilly or OEL has to go. If Chayka can find a way to rid ourselves of Reilly then this is a impressive beginning. Still need a 2C and move JT to wing. Don't trade Knies. Please DO NOT trade Knies.

 

[The Iceman]

Works not done, they still need to revamp the bottom 6 to move off the black holes Treliving brought in.

TRUE
We need some help at RW.

How about 28 year old former 20G RW making $1.5 million?

TAYLOR Raddysh? Maybe he hits big at an advanced age like his big brother.

 

[notbias]

I think we should be willing to listen on offers for him....I don't love the idea of selling him at his absolute lowest value and watching him bounce back somewhere else though. I don't think he is nearly as bad as he played under Berube last year.

I don't think he wants to leave, so I don't think there is a point, but I'd rather Rielly over Carlo, so I'd keep Rielly regardless, since I don't think the cap hit matters much this year.

But I'd also tell him that things haven't been great, we need a motivated Rielly this year, and if we don't get it, we will need to explore him moving on next year.

I just don't think it makes sense cap-wise to move him since I don't think they are in a crunch, it might make more sense to revisit next year, and he is still a good player who will likely rebound.

 

[SprDaVE]

Why do they have to bury it? I knew the crew from other boards would come baying about any inane thing.

There's no trade protection on this contract.

But hey, by all means feel free to leave your home board and come shit all over this one anytime.

Contract details haven't been revealed yet. I'd be floored if there wasn't some form of modified NTC at the very least.

But maybe there is nothing... we'll see.

 

[francis246]

Yeah nothing is listed.

About time this management group doesn’t hand these out like candy.

Also speaks to a guy that truly wanted the experience of being here and nothing else matters

 

[NJG]

Now do we bring in Taylor Raddysh to play on the fourth line?

 

[Buds17]

No sense in fretting much about whatever form of NTC or NMC may materialize since the contract is already for max term at a monetary amount which isn't insignificant. If matters were to eventually go south, an 8.5M AAV at x amount of term left might not be easy to move regardless of any clauses further complicating things. Win "now" and ponder whatever potentially needs to be pondered at that later date.

 

[Buckley]

writing was on the wall with this one and will be interesting to see how he does but hope there isn't a NMC cause i'm still not buying what they are selling. To many years at this point. piling onto a faulty foundation imo

In order to be a middle of the pack team, leafs need all (if not most) of this to happen:

• Raddysh to be the player he was last year (not the one he's been the rest of his career)
• Tanev to be healthy and return to form
• Matthews to be health and return to form
• JT to maintain production
• Rely on a rookie to produce at a top 6 rate if not better
• One of three goalies who have never been able to be starters to be a starter

Optimistic take, not having your next 2 first makes it ok to be a treadmill team for a bit longer and maybe Matthews improves his value and trade him at deadline of 2027 / 28 season.

If all of those things happen, the Leafs will be far better than a middle of the pack team. You are basically describing the Leafs from a couple of seasons ago, and that was a near 110 point team.

 

[FerrisRox]

Why do they have to bury it? I knew the crew from other boards would come baying about any inane thing.

There's no trade protection on this contract.

But hey, by all means feel free to leave your home board and come shit all over this one anytime.

I'm not shitting all over anything. I was responding to a person that said they would "bury" the second half of the contract. I merely asked how do you bury an $8.5 million cap hit.

It's a fair response to what he said, not sure why you're getting upset about this.