Maple Leafs can do something special as Darren Raddysh's brother goes on waivers

Much like the team could have with Brandon Tanev, the Maple Leafs can reunite two brothers by claiming Darren Raddysh's brother Taylor off waivers from New York.

We reported a couple of days ago that the Utah Mammoth had placed veteran forward Brandon Tanev on the waiver wire for the purposes of being assigned to the AHL. The Maple Leafs had a chance to reunite the Tanev brothers however, they decided against it whether it be due to fit, cost or another reason.

Taylor Raddysh gives the Maple Leafs a chance to do something truly special

But he's not the only brother of a Maple Leaf who is hitting the waiver wire, as the New York Rangers are preparing to put Darren Raddysh's brother Taylor on waivers Sunday:

Rangers beat writer Mollie Walker reported that both Raddysh and goaltender Dylan Garand are going to be hitting the wire, which was confirmed later on after waivers reset at 2 PM:

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Raddysh, 28, had 19 points in 68 games for the Rangers last season, adding a plus-5, 49 hits and only 12 PIM in 11:51 TOI. The former 20-goal scorer is signed to a $1.5M deal and is a free agent at the end of this season.

While he would likely be nothing more than depth for the team, it's more about bringing him together with his brother and fulfilling a family dream. Raddysh's father was a huge influence in their life and brought them to several Maple Leafs games, a memory that both brothers cherish deeply especially after his passing.

Adding Taylor Raddysh may give Darren even more motivation

Reuniting them and having both players wear the Maple Leaf would be an utterly heartwarming story, and even if he's not around long - just getting that chance to do that is well worth it.

But it also has a side benefit that can't be overlooked which is that Darren is going to be even more motivated to win alongside his brother as part of Toronto. He's already shown time and time again how much this means to him, and knowing what he's capable of, all he might need is a brotherly push.

So far this offseason the Maple Leafs haven't been active on the waiver wire but that doesn't mean they don't have names in mind. With rosters needing to be finalized by Monday night, if there's ever a time to strike it's now.

Taylor may not be the answer for the Maple Leafs' top-six, or be the underrated forward who pushes them over the top. But he is a former 20-goal scorer who has a deep and passionate connection to the team, and might be an X-Factor in turning his brother's breakout season into a monster one with only one goal in mind.

Lift the Stanley Cup, just as their father always dreamed of.

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