Darren Raddysh officially said goodbye to Tampa Bay on Monday, sharing a message on Instagram just days after being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in a sign-and-trade deal. In the post, Raddysh thanked the Lightning organization, his teammates, and the fans for their support during his time with the team.

“To the Tampa Bay Lightning and Syracuse Crunch organizations, my teammates, all the amazing gameday staff and of course Bolts Nation,” Raddysh said. “My family and I want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts. You believed in me and gave a 25-year-old a chance to play in the NHL. The Tampa community is a special, welcoming place, and one we will always hold close in our hearts. Thank you so much for everything.”

The deal with Toronto is an eight-year contract carrying an average annual value of $8.5 million and includes trade protection. In return, the Lightning received a fifth-round pick. Raddysh got his first NHL opportunity during the 2021-22 season and spent the next several years in and out of the lineup. After a breakout season, he emerged as one of the most sought-after players heading into free agency this year.

The 30-year-old recorded 22 goals and 70 points while finishing plus-21 and averaging 22:42 of ice time per game. He tied for sixth among NHL defensemen with 26 power-play points and led all blueliners with 10 power-play goals.