The 2026 free agent class headlines a handful of big time names that a generation of hockey fans might be familiar with. Alex Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin, Patrick Kane and even Artemi Panarin are just a few of those names. However, all of those players listed above have one thing in common. They are all over 30 years of age, as well as most of the UFA's next summer.
The Leafs, despite how iconic those names are, might not want to throw money in their direction, as they could be staying put with a new contract with their respective teams. There is one upcoming free agents that Toronto could add to help fill a hole that has been an issue this season, and that's Tampa Bay Lightning defenceman Darren Raddysh.
In 29 games played this season, Raddysh has racked up 24 points (seven goals, 17 assists) which puts him in fifth on the team in points as well as leading all Lightning blueliners in points.
Darren Raddysh could continue late-blooming career in Toronto
Raddysh has stepped up this season, especially since fellow defencemen Victor Hedman and Erik Cernak have, and still both are, on the injured reserve list. He has six points (four goals, two assists) in his last six games played and 21 points (six goas, 15 assists) in his last 16 games.
Given those numbers, it can be said that he isn't afraid to chip in offensively and is able to do so consistently this season. Not to mention, Raddysh is in his third full NHL season, as he spent most of his years in the AHL. He split time in his first two seasons with the Lightning and their affiliate team, Syracuse Crunch in both 2021-22 and 2022-23.
The Leafs have been paper thin on their blueline this season with Chris Tanev, Brandon Carlo and Dakota Mermis being all on the injured reserve list at the moment. It's uncertain whether Brad Treliving will make any moves to help what has been a beaten up and injured defensive core.
It's highly unlikely that Tampa Bay will ship out what has been their top defenceman so far this season in Raddysh, when the team is currently in a battle with the Detroit Red Wings and the Montreal Canadiens for the top spot in the Atlantic Division.
The soon to be 30-year-old Raddysh is, as mentioned before, an unrestricted free agent next summer, and will likely draw attention from other teams, given how he has performed up to now, including the fact that he is also a right-handed shooting defenceman. Toronto already has their heavy duty, currently active, blueliners in Morgan Rielly, Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Jake McCabe with some team control on their respective contracts.
This means that Treliving might have to deal one of his other defencemen in the offseason, either Carlo, Mermis, Simon Benoit or even Troy Stecher, to open up a slot that Raddysh could take next year.
With this being said, Raddysh has shown his ability to put up numbers on the scoresheet, all while being a defenceman, something the Leafs have had little of, with the exception of Ekman-Larsson and Rielly who have been up to par under the circumstances. Raddysh is still fairly young in NHL terms and could help of the Leafs blueline. Toronto should take a chance to throw a brand new contract his way, as he could compliment the likes of McCabe or Tanev on a defensive pairing.