After putting up a 22-goal, 70-point season with Tampa Bay, it still wasn't enough to land Darren Raddysh on the NHL Network's list of the league's Top-20 defencemen.
The NHL Network's list of the league's Top-20 blueliners certainly has some usual faces with Cale Makar taking the top spot, followed by Quinn Hughes and 2025-26 Norris Trophy winner Zach Werenski.
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There's certainly more than just 20 defenders who could have made this list, and they are missing names such as Esa Lindell and Jakob Chychrun - but there's one particular name who may have deserved a lot more attention.
Darren Raddysh produced like a Top-10 defenceman but still missed NHL Network's Top 20
Darren Raddysh put up an incredible season in 2025-26 with 22 goals and 70 points, with included a league-high 10 goals for defenders on the power-play. He was Tampa Bay's unanimous #1 defender with Victor Hedman missing 49 games this season, and proved that he was able to handle that workload.
Ironically, Hedman found himself ranked on the Top-20 list as he snuck in at 18. He only managed one goal and 17 points in 33 games, and is coming off an injury while putting up the worst numbers of his career.
Granted, Raddysh had never hit more than 35 points in a season prior to his breakout season, but the list is of current defenders - not just based on past accomplishments. Hedman is a future Hall of Famer, but Raddysh played better and thrived in Hedman's role as power-play quarterback.
To be fair, the list is stacked with superstar talent from top to bottom, and it's hard to see Raddysh finding himself in the Top-10 or even Top-15 given that Roman Josi is #15 and he just came off a 55-point season at 35 years old and has been consistently elite for over a decade.
But to not make it in over Hedman after his season, or Devon Toews who had less points, goals, assists, power-play points, and hits - only besting Raddysh in plus/minus and blocked shots is a miss on the NHL Network's part.
The Maple Leafs need Raddysh to prove 70 points was a new baseline, not a career outlier
However there could be a good reason as to why the NHL was reluctant to add Raddysh. Though he broke out with those 70 points, as previously stated he never hit more than 35 in a single season and actually equaled his combined 2023-24 (33) and 2024-25 (37) point totals in 2025-26 alone.
He needs to prove that last season wasn't a one-off, and this is the new baseline for what we're going to expect from Raddysh. If he falls off to the 30-point mark again without any serious roadblocks, then it could lend credence to the fact it was just a matter of right place, right time in 2025-26.
Toronto spent $68-million betting on it being the new baseline, and if that consistency doesn't come to fruition then not only was it a massive gamble that didn't pay off - but now he's a very hard contract to move on from and much harder to justify paying.
That's not to say that Raddysh can't have his down years, as every player tends to go through struggles at some point in either the season or their career. But he can't make it a consistent habit, and a 35-point season looks a lot better when surrounded by 70+ point ones.
Raddysh has to prove to the Maple Leafs that their bet on him is going to pay off, and knowing how motivated he is to play for the team - it very well might. But if not, then the Maple Leafs have to decide whether to risk keeping Raddysh in case of a bounce back or find a way to cut ties if they have buyer's remorse.
Do you think Darren Raddysh belongs on the NHL Network Top-20 Defensemen List?
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