Darren Raddysh entered the 2025-26 season with minimal expectations placed upon him. He then went on to have one of the league's most impressive breakout seasons at 30 years old and became a key part of the Tampa Bay Lightning's season. As a pending unrestricted free agent, he'll be one of the most interesting players to watch this summer, as he's gone from a contract worth less than a million dollars to the most sought after defenseman on the market in just a single season.
Statistics
Games Played - 73 - For the second straight season Raddysh finished the season with 73 games played.
Goals - 22 - Raddysh scored 22 of his 35 career goals this season.
Assists - 48 - Raddysh's 48 assists during the 2025-26 season on their own surpassed his previous career high in points, 37 in 2024-25.
Points - 70 - He nearly doubled his previous career high and led Lightning defensemen.
Shots - 212 - The most by a Lightning defenseman this season, the fourth most on the team overall.
Shooting Percentage - 10.4% - This season massive boosted Raddysh's career shooting percentage, adding 4.5% to his previous career high.
Time on Ice - 22:42 - Led the Lightning.
Plus/Minus - +21 - The best of Raddysh's career, sixth-best on the team.
Giveaways - 73 - The sixth-most on the Lightning. Considering how often he played, Raddysh protected the puck effectively.
Takeaways - 14 - Placed 12th on the Lightning.
Playoffs
Goals - 1 - Raddysh was one of just eight Lightning players to score a goal during the postseason.
Assists - 1 - Tied for seventh on the team.
Points - 2 - Raddysh's offensive production took a considerable hit during the postseason.
NHL EDGE
Hardest Shot - 100.13 MPH - Raddysh not only shot the puck on a regular basis, he had one of the league's hardest shots as he placed in the 96th percentile.
Max Skating Speed - 21.15 MPH - Nearly half a mile per hour slower than the league average.
Total Miles Skated - 222.41 - Raddysh covered a considerable amount of ice during the 2025-26 seson, ranked in the 77th percentile.
While it's best to never say never, it seems fairly likely that Raddysh won't be returning to the Tampa Bay Lightning for the 2026-27 season. Playing alongside JJ Moser, he made himself one of the NHL's most valuable defensemen this season and he'll leave a hole that the Lightning will be hard-pressed to fill over the summer.