Darren Raddysh will cost the Leafs $36M and the organization has never been good at saying no to that price
Photo credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Darren Raddysh has 20 goals and 64 points this season at under $1-million and David Pagnotta says the defender wants six years at $6-million this summer.
For a Toronto team desperate for a puck-moving defenceman, this may be the most important decision Toronto makes July 1.
David Pagnotta said on 'Leafs Morning Take' Monday that the price for Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman and pending UFA Darren Raddysh is expected to be in the range of six years at $6M.
Pagnotta said that Raddysh is eyeing a contract similar of fellow defenseman JJ Moser, who signed for six years at $6.75M annually, starting next season.
He wants that JJ Moser contract, 6x6, something along those lines.
One of the league's biggest breakout players this season, the 30-year-old Raddysh is in the closing stages of a career season, a PPG season with 20 goals and 64 points in 63 games for Tampa Bay.
Having debuted at 25, Raddysh has gone from 73 career points prior to this season, to equalling that mark this year alone, and having done so at the right time in a contract year.
Why Darren Raddysh is demanding a 6 million dollar annual salary
Darren Raddysh is due for a major payday, and well beyond his current contract of $975K. Having been the league's best value contract this season, a team will have to pay heavy as a result of Raddysh's breakout season.
Raddysh taking a deal less than Moser would be a surprise given a rising cap and a dominant season. It's possible that come free agency that Raddysh's number, if he doesn't return to the Lightning, goes a bit up from $6-million to $7-million.
Of course, it's Raddysh's willingness to take a team-friendly deal that that may give the Leafs the biggest challenge out of anything.
Even the $6.5-million range would be a friendly deal for teams desperate for a top pairing defenseman, and Raddysh has been a clear impact defender all season.
The massive risk of giving Darren Raddysh a six year contract
Darren Raddysh will almost likely get his reported desired $6-7M deal, but for some teams wanting certainty, Raddysh isn't the perfect free agent signing.
Having been a late bloomer in a career year, Raddysh may scare off a team that isn't sure if he can replicate this season, although even as a 40-50 point scorer, that range would be deemed as fair pay, or at least just slight overpay.
There is also the concern that exists of Lightning players who have regressed after leaving Tampa. Steven Stamkos, Ondrej Palat, & Alex Killorn are examples of players who blossom in the system, and then regress elsewhere.
Some like Mikhail Sergachev and Yanni Gourde have avoided the post-Lightning curse, but teams like Toronto, needing a sure thing, it's a bigger risk than a proven team that just wants to upgrade.
Raddysh isn't the only RHD on the market, former Calgary Flames blueliner Rasmus Andersson has his deal expire at the end of this season. Toronto was a contender for a trade, Andersson ultimately going to Vegas. If he gets to the market, he may still be Brad Treliving's guy.
Darren Raddysh will likely get at a minimum of 6x6, and teams will have to decide if that contract is worth an unproven player, although one who was one of the league's top defensemen this past season.
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| POLL | ||
MARS 26|1308 ANSWERS Darren Raddysh will cost the Leafs $36M and the organization has never been good at saying no to that price Would you sign Darren Raddysh or would you pursue another defender? | ||
| Raddysh!! | 568 | 43.4 % |
| Someone else!! | 740 | 56.6 % |
| List of polls | ||