Raddysh’s Breakout Embodies Lightning Player Development

While it was a surprise, to an extent, to see him break out, his time in the NHL was already, in a sense, beating the odds. With his 100th point in the books, let’s look back on the career of Raddysh and how he embodies the Lightning’s ability to eye and develop talent.

Long Road to the NHL

Raddysh was playing junior hockey with the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) until he was 21, five total seasons. He finally caught a break to go pro when the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Rockford IceHogs inked him to a one-year contract. He was originally signed directly to the Chicago Blackhawks’ affiliate, not the NHL organization.

The Blackhawks signed him to a multi-year deal after that first season, but he never saw action in the NHL with them. He didn’t see action with the New York Rangers either after being traded.

Raddysh eventually made his way to the Lightning in the summer of 2021. His signing was so under the radar that he was part of a story reporting five total signings. Ultimately, they saw something in him down in Tampa Bay. He saw NHL action for the first time, playing four games during the 2021-22 season. He recorded zero points, blocked six shots and went back to the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch.

By this point, he had played six seasons across three AHL teams. His highest scoring season was when he put up 28 points with the Hartford Wolfpack in 2019-20. That career high came across 62 games. What seemed to be a ceiling was about to be smashed.

During the 2022-23 season, Raddysh put up 51 points in 50 games with Syracuse. He nearly doubled his season best for goals, taking it from seven to 13. All of this came in 12 fewer games. The Lightning took notice and called him back up (from ‘Lightning recall defenseman Darren Raddysh,’ Tampa Bay Times, March 4, 2023). He’s been in the NHL ever since.

Continued Progression with the Lightning

Raddysh was serviceable in his late-season call-up that first season. He had three points in 17 regular-season games. He also had a couple of points in six playoff games for good measure.

In his first full NHL season, he put up 33 points while playing in all 82 games. All things considered, this was a solid performance. He’s averaging 0.4 points per game as a defenseman. Raddysh easily could have put up these numbers again for the next few seasons, and there is still an underdog story here. To the Lightning’s credit, their work with him got him to another level beyond that.

This season, he’s at 27 points through 30 games. He also has four three-point games. That’s only one fewer than Nikita Kucherov. He has more of these games this season than Brandon Hagel and Braydon Point. Let that sink in. Read that again if you have to.

Lightning Know How to Find a Diamond in the Rough

Raddysh is another prime example of the Lightning making the most of who they have. He was undrafted. He was in his late 20s. None of that spells an impact player. Yet, here we are.

It’s very reminiscent of when Yanni Gourde burst onto the scene. He was undrafted and didn’t see consistent NHL playing time until he was 26. He ended up being a key piece of multiple Lightning runs to a Stanley Cup. Whether Raddysh will get to add a Cup to his resume is yet to be seen. He just missed those runs.

If it weren’t for the willingness to take him on as a project, there would be a lower chance that this team would be chugging along like they are. Every piece that pans out extends their window and helps absorb the blow of lacking first-round picks for years on end. Raddysh, for many, will be seen as the latest example. But it’s impressive that the Lightning continue to introduce one example after another.