Why Tampa Bay's Dangerous Game with Darren Raddysh is a Golden Opportunity for the Maple Leafs

After Darren Raddysh put up a career high 70 points in 73 games for the Tampa Bay Lightning this season, it seemed all but certain the 30 year old right shot defenseman would quickly come to terms on a brand new contract. Raddysh is heading towards his first true opportunity to test unrestricted free agency, and it could not come at a better time. Thrust into an increased role with the team, Raddysh exploded from a production perspective, scoring 22 goals and 48 assists while logging a career high of 22:42 of ice time per game.

Initially, the consensus was that Raddysh and the Lightning would agree on a new deal to keep the defender in Tampa Bay long term. However, news leaked recently that the first offer from the Lightning was only for five years at a $5.75 million Average Annual Value. Tampa Bay is playing a very dangerous game with this low ball approach, and they are essentially rolling out the red carpet for other teams to swoop in and steal a prized asset.

Tampa Bay is Playing with Fire

Internally, the Lightning have always maintained a strict salary cap structure that allows them to pay players according to their distinct value to the franchise. The team has also utilized the lack of a Florida state income tax to control overall contract values and manage their cap space.

But applying this rigid formula to Raddysh is a massive miscalculation. This upcoming contract is likely to be the only major payday of his entire career. Coming off a basic two year NHL contract with an AAV of just $975,000, his total career NHL earnings sit just below the four million dollar mark. As a late bloomer, his prime earning window is much shorter than other highly touted free agents.

When looking at the rumored amount that the team offered, it is clear Tampa Bay feels Raddysh may have over performed this season and could see his numbers regress in subsequent years. They are clearly not betting long term on the defender or are using additional years as a bargaining tool to keep the cap hit down.

By treating a 70 point defenseman like a replaceable asset, the Lightning are playing a dangerous game of chicken. They are betting that the open market will be soft for a 30 year old with a small sample size of elite production. This strategy is incredibly risky because it completely ignores how desperate other teams are for right sided defensemen who can run a power play.

A Lethal Weapon Ready to be Stolen

This year in Tampa Bay, primarily due to injuries to Victor Hedman, the role for Raddysh was much more defined. He saw career highs in overall ice time and power play time, which subsequently led to his massive boom in production. Raddysh is one of the most powerful shooters in the NHL, logging more shots over 90 miles per hour than any other player this season while generating 212 shots on goal at an impressive 10.4 percent shooting percentage.

In my opinion, the offer made by the Lightning borders on disrespectful. Asking a player of his caliber to take a significant discount over market value while the NHL salary cap is set to explode could absolutely be perceived as insulting. On the open market, Raddysh is likely looking at an AAV anywhere from $8 million to $9 million per season.

Even if offers come in slightly below that amount, most teams will gladly go to the maximum number of contract years allowed. Shooting power is one of the very last skill sets to fade with age. While players who rely heavily on mobility may struggle in their mid thirties, a player with such a devastating point shot always brings a unique dynamic. By trying to squeeze Raddysh, Tampa Bay has left the door wide open for a division rival to steal their best offensive weapon on the back end.

The Perfect Strike for Toronto

For the Toronto Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay's misjudgment creates the perfect storm. Adding a true power play quarterback would give Toronto a lethal weapon from the blue line that the team has not seen since the days of Dion Phaneuf or Bryan McCabe. Add in the likely addition of the first overall selection in Gavin McKenna, and the Maple Leafs will have a forward core that desperately needs a legitimate point shot to complement it. Adding such a dangerous weapon would also make franchise pillars like Auston Matthews and William Nylander infinitely more dangerous.

Opening up the ice allows for more opportunities on goal and more high danger chances. Compared to a left handed shot like Morgan Rielly, Raddysh allows the team to create critical space. The current setup in Toronto simply does not possess the power to hurt defenders and relies entirely too heavily on wrist shots. This makes it problematic and difficult for the team to generate chances from the point. Opposing penalty kills play the point man incredibly tight, minimizing space, preventing shots from getting through the block, and suppressing opportunities for the puck to be passed into dangerous areas.

If the Tampa Bay Lightning are dead set on playing hardball with Darren Raddysh, the Maple Leafs must open up their wallets and make an undeniable offer to the Ontario native. Raddysh is the exact model of player that the team in Toronto needs right now. The ability to move the puck successfully while playing shifts in their own zone responsibly would create a massive presence on the back end.

It was previously reported that the former Brad Treliving regime was very high on Raddysh. We can only hope that the new management team of General Manager John Chayka and Senior Executive Advisor Mats Sundin are equally as high on the defender. Taking advantage of Tampa Bay's dangerous negotiation tactics to steal a player of this caliber would be a major win for the organization and provide a ton of help for a team that desperately needs offense from their blue line. Luckily for the Lightning, they still have two weeks to come to their senses and present another offer, however, if you look back at the relevant examples in the past like Steven Stamkos, Ondrej Palat and even Yanni Gourde, the Lightning aren't afraid to walk away from players if the dollars and cents don't add up. 

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