The Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired defenceman Darren Raddysh, known for having one of the hardest shots in the NHL, in a move expected to revitalize their stagnant power play.
A Missing Element on the Power Play
For years, the Leafs have lacked a defenceman with a fearsome shot on the man advantage. They have joined the league-wide trend of using four forwards and one defenceman, but none of those defencemen were known for a powerful drive. Even when the power play performed well, ranking seventh in the NHL two years ago before falling to 15th last season, goals came primarily from William Nylander on perimeter sweeps, Auston Matthews tipping or snapping from close range, and John Tavares driving the net. There was no real boomer available from Morgan Rielly, Jake McCabe, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, or others to test goalies, exploit screens, or take a bite out of defenders.
Raddysh's Power-Play Production
Raddysh, who shoots right, scored 10 power-play goals with the Tampa Bay Lightning last season, a figure that only about one player per NHL team averaged. That total would have ranked as the most by a Leafs defenceman since Bryan McCabe's 11 nearly 20 years ago.
“Those are the easy decisions, his shot is a weapon,” said general manager John Chayka during a media Zoom call. “If you’re putting together a ghost roster with a left shot off the flank, having a right shot up top that can bomb it is an obvious strength. It’s just really hard to put those things together at times. As a manager, that’s really appealing. In conversations with the coaches and getting their wish lists, you try and satisfy as much of that as you can. But it’s hard, and in this case we did think it’s a perfect fit.”
More Than Just a Power-Play Specialist
Chayka emphasized that Raddysh brings more to the team than just his shot. He averaged 22:41 of ice time for John Cooper's Lightning last season, ranking 38th in the league.
“His fundamental play doesn’t get the recognition it deserves,” Chayka said. “It’s the 5-on-5 that really moves the needle. He’s just a competitor, a quiet leader who plays the game the right way, and those are all things in addition to the power play that I think are super important to us.”
The acquisition of Raddysh addresses a long-standing need for the Leafs, providing a right-handed shot from the point that can unleash a powerful slap shot, potentially transforming their power play into a more dynamic and dangerous unit.
