Darren Raddysh

{{Infobox ice hockey player

| name = Darren Raddysh

| image = 2023_AHL_All-Star_Skills_Competition.jpg

| image_size = 230px

| caption = Raddysh with the Syracuse Crunch in 2023

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|2|28}}

| birth_place = Caledon, Ontario, Canada

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 1

| weight_lb = 200

| position = Defence

| shoots = Right

| league = NHL

| team = Tampa Bay Lightning

| prospect_league = AHL

| prospect_team =

| former_teams =

| draft = Undrafted

| career_start = 2017

| career_end =

}}

Darren Raddysh (born February 28, 1996) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Early life

Raddysh was born on February 28, 1996, in Caledon, Ontario to warehouse manager Dwayne and accountant Gwen Raddysh.{{cite web |title=Darren Raddysh |url=https://nhl.bamcontent.com/images/assets/binary/304978404/binary-file/file.pdf |website=nhl.bamcontent.com |accessdate=August 5, 2020}} Growing up in Toronto with his brother Taylor, their father bought them rollerblades to practice shooting and skating at home.{{cite web |last1=Voogel |first1=Steven |title=Exclusive interview with Darren Raddysh, from undrafted defenseman to the Rangers post-season roster |url=https://www.foreverblueshirts.com/exclusive-interview-with-darren-raddysh-from-undrafted-defenseman-to-the-rangers-post-season-roster/ |website=foreverblueshirts.com |accessdate=August 5, 2020 |date=July 16, 2020}} As the two were a few years apart, they played competitive lacrosse on the same teams and golfed together at the Caledon Country Club.{{cite web |last1=Kloke |first1=Joshua |title=Erie Otters' Raddysh Brothers Embracing Final OHL Playoff Run Together |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/erie-otters-raddysh-brothers-embracing-final-ohl-playoff-run-together/ |website=vice.com |access-date=August 5, 2020 |date=April 16, 2017}}

Playing career

=Youth=

Raddysh began his minor hockey career with the Toronto Marlboros Minor Midget AAA team, with whom he won the 2009 Silver Stick tournament in Michigan.{{cite web |title=Malboros take top spot at Silver Stick tournament |url=https://www.toronto.com/community-story/35365-etobicoke-malboros-take-top-spot-at-silver-stick-tournament/ |website=toronto.com |accessdate=August 29, 2020 |date=February 3, 2009}} During his tenure with the team, Raddysh was drafted in the fifth round, 84th overall, by the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).{{cite web |title=Follow the 2012 OHL Priority Selection here! |url=https://ottershockey.com/otters-select-15-players-in-2012-ohl-priority-selection |website=ottershockey.com |accessdate=August 29, 2020 |date=April 7, 2012}} At the time of his selection, he stood at 5-foot-11 and weighed 165 pounds.{{cite web |last1=Kennedy |first1=Ryan |title=Teams lining up to sign Erie defenseman Darren Raddysh |url=https://www.si.com/hockey/news/teams-lining-up-to-sign-erie-defenseman-darren-raddysh |website=si.com |publisher=Sports Illustrated |accessdate=August 29, 2020 |date=June 1, 2017}} He remained with the Marlboros for the 2012–13 season, during which he earned a call up to the Georgetown Raiders of the Ontario Junior Hockey League for seven games.{{cite web |title=Georgetown Raiders |url=https://pointstreak.com/prostats/teamplayerstats.html?teamid=34956&seasonid=9434 |website=pointstreak.com |accessdate=August 29, 2020}} Raddysh made his OHL debut with the Otters to complete their 2012-13 season, playing in 24 games and recording two assists.{{cite web |title=Darren Raddysh |url=https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/205556/darren-raddysh |website=eliteprospects.com |publisher=Elite Prospects |accessdate=August 29, 2020}}

Once Taylor was drafted by the Otters, Raddysh requested that his brother live with him since he had already completed high school. However, the team refused for they wished for Taylor to "not rely solely on his brother for direction." Raddysh remained undrafted during his tenure with the Otters but received invitations to training camps from the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks.{{cite news |last1=Cicerella |first1=Kyle |title=Otters' Darren Raddysh still hopeful for NHL career despite going undrafted |url=https://www.chroniclejournal.com/sports/national_sports/otters-darren-raddysh-still-hopeful-for-nhl-career-despite-going/article_721e574c-920f-5cc8-af8f-f543c67eee13.html |accessdate=August 29, 2020 |publisher=The Chronicle Journal |date=May 21, 2017}}

Raddysh re-joined the Otters for his fifth and final year in major juniors and recorded a comeback season, gaining attention from various NHL teams. Following a game against the Kitchener Rangers in January, Raddysh became the new franchise leader for points by a defenceman with 151.{{cite web |title=Otters' Raddysh becomes new franchise leader in points by defencemen |url=https://ontariohockeyleague.com/article/otters-raddysh-becomes-new-franchise-leader-in-points-by-defencemen |website=ontariohockeyleague.com |publisher=Ontario Hockey League |accessdate=August 29, 2020 |date=January 25, 2017}} The following month, he set a new franchise single-season record for points by a defenceman with his 68th of the season.{{cite web |title=Otters' Raddysh sets franchise single-season mark for points by a defenceman |url=https://ontariohockeyleague.com/article/otters-raddysh-sets-franchise-single-season-mark-for-points-by-a-defenceman |website=ontariohockeyleague.com |publisher=Ontario Hockey League |accessdate=August 29, 2020 |date=February 27, 2017}} With his assistance, the Otters won the J. Ross Robertson Cup as the playoff champion of the Ontario Hockey League and qualified for the 2017 Memorial Cup. Alongside his brother Taylor, they became the first pair of brothers to compete against another pair of brothers (the McLeod's) in an OHL Final since 2012.{{cite web |title=Brothers give it all they've got in Rogers OHL Championship Series |url=https://ontariohockeyleague.com/article/brothers-give-it-all-theyve-got-in-rogers-ohl-championship-series |website=ontariohockeyleague.com |publisher=Ontario Hockey League |accessdate=August 29, 2020 |date=May 11, 2017}} As a result of his play, Raddysh became the first player in OHL history to simultaneously win the Max Kaminsky Trophy as OHL Defenceman of the Year and the Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy as Overage Player of the Year.{{cite web |title=Darren Raddysh Named OHL Defenceman of the Year |url=https://ontariohockeyleague.com/article/darren-raddysh-named-ohl-defenceman-of-the-year |website=ontariohockeyleague.com |publisher=Ontario Hockey League |accessdate=August 29, 2020 |date=May 2, 2017}} The Otters competed against the Windsor Spitfires in the Memorial Cup, losing in seven games. At the end of the tournament, Raddysh was named to the 2017 Mastercard Memorial Cup All-Star Team alongside his brother.{{cite web |title=2017 Mastercard Memorial Cup Awards & All-Stars |url=https://ontariohockeyleague.com/article/2017-mastercard-memorial-cup-awards-all-stars |website=ontariohockeyleague.com |publisher=Ontario Hockey League |accessdate=August 27, 2020 |date=May 28, 2017}}

Raddysh concluded his major junior career on June 20, 2017, by signing a one-year American Hockey League (AHL) contract with the Rockford IceHogs.{{cite web |title=DARREN RADDYSH SIGNS WITH ROCKFORD |url=https://icehogs.com/news/darren-raddysh-signs-with-rockford |website=icehogs.com |publisher=Rockford Ice Hogs |accessdate=August 29, 2020 |date=June 20, 2017}}

=Professional=

Raddysh began his professional career with the IceHogs after making their opening night roster prior to the 2017–18 season.{{cite web |title=ROCKFORD ICEHOGS ANNOUNCE SEASON-OPENING ROSTER |url=https://icehogs.com/news/rockford-icehogs-announce-season-opening-roster |website=icehogs.com |publisher=Rockford Ice Hogs |accessdate=August 29, 2020 |date=October 5, 2017}} He recorded his first professional goal on October 15, during a 5–3 loss to the Milwaukee Admirals.{{cite web |title=LATE RALLY FALLS SHORT AS ADS OUST HOGS, 5-3 |url=https://icehogs.com/news/late-rally-falls-short-as-ads-oust-hogs-5-3 |website=icehogs.com |publisher=Rockford Ice Hogs |accessdate=August 29, 2020 |date=October 15, 2017}} On May 21, 2018, Raddysh signed a two-year contract with the Chicago Blackhawks that ran through the 2019–20 season.{{cite web |title=Blackhawks agree to terms with four players |url=https://www.nhl.com/blackhawks/news/release-blackhawks-agree-to-terms-with-four-players/c-298717134 |website=nhl.com |publisher=National Hockey League |accessdate=August 29, 2020 |date=May 21, 2018}} On February 18, 2019, Raddysh was traded to the New York Rangers in exchange for Peter Holland.{{cite web |title=Rangers Acquire Defenseman Darren Raddysh |url=https://www.nhl.com/rangers/news/rangers-acquire-defenseman-darren-raddysh/c-304962048 |website=nhl.com |publisher=National Hockey League |accessdate=August 29, 2020 |date=February 18, 2019}} After the trade he was sent to the Rangers' AHL affiliate, The Hartford Wolf Pack where after 22 games he recorded his first goal in their final regular season game against the Hershey Bears.{{cite web |title=WOLF PACK SEASON ENDS WITH LOSS IN HERSHEY |url=https://www.hartfordwolfpack.com/news/detail/wolf-pack-fall-in-season-finale-in-hershey |website=hartfordwolfpack.com |publisher=Hartford Wolf Pack |accessdate=August 29, 2020 |date=April 14, 2019}}

He attended the Rangers' training camp prior to the 2019–20 season but was reassigned to their AHL affiliate.{{cite web |title=FOUR MORE PLAYERS ASSIGNED FROM RANGER CAMP |url=https://www.hartfordwolfpack.com/news/detail/four-more-players-assigned-from-ranger-camp |website=hartfordwolfpack.com |publisher=Hartford Wolf Pack |accessdate=August 29, 2020 |date=September 20, 2019}} Once the NHL began their Return to Play initiative, Raddysh was named to the Rangers' Phase 3 training camp roster.{{cite web |title=New York Rangers 2020 Phase 3 training camp roster |url=https://www.hartfordwolfpack.com/news/detail/new-york-rangers-2020-phase-3-training-camp-roster |website=hartfordwolfpack.com |publisher=Hartford Wolf Pack |accessdate=August 29, 2020 |date=July 13, 2020}}

On July 28, 2021, Raddysh signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning.{{cite web |title=Lightning sign five players to one-year, two-way contracts |url=https://www.nhl.com/lightning/news/tampa-bay-lightning-sign-five-players-to-one-year-two-way-contracts/c-325836500 |website=NHL.com |access-date=July 29, 2021 |date=July 28, 2021}}

Raddysh made his NHL debut on December 30, 2021 against the Florida Panthers, filling one of the numerous Covid-related vacancies on the Lightning roster.{{cite web |first1=Bryan |last1=Burns |title=Lightning's Darren Raddysh: Set for NHL Debut |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/hockey/news/lightnings-darren-raddysh-set-for-nhl-debut/amp/ |access-date=December 31, 2021 |date=December 30, 2021}} In a 9–3 loss, Raddysh was on the ice for 14 minutes and 57 seconds and recorded his first NHL hit.{{cite web |title=TB at FLA Box Score |url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/boxscore/_/gameId/401349686 |access-date=December 31, 2021 |date=December 30, 2021}}