The Tampa Bay Lightning locked up a pair of players in a 24 hour span this week, extending both Brandon Hagel and Darren Raddysh on multi-year deals.
The Bolts put pen to paper with Hagel, 24, via an 8 year / $52M contract extension Tuesday. The deal sports an AAV of $6.5M, and includes a full no trade clause in years 3 and 4, as well as a modified NTC in years 5 through 8.
Originally selected 159th overall in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft by the Buffalo Sabres, the Saskatoon native registered 64 points (30G, 34A) in his first full season with Tampa Bay last year. Acquired from Chicago in March of 2022, Hagel enjoyed a career year in 2022-23 posting highs in virtually every offensive category.
Also reupping with the Lightning was 27 year old blue liner Darren Raddysh who signed a 2 year / $1.95M extension with the club on Wednesday.
In a bit of irony, Hagel was actually acquired from Chicago in exchange for Darren’s brother Taylor Raddysh, in addition to Boris Katchouk, and two protected 1st round picks.
Raddysh appeared in 17 games for the Lightning last season registering 3 points (1G, 2A) in the process. Standing 6’1” tall, the right shot defenseman adds some depth to Tampa’s blue line behind Victor Hedman, Mikhail Sergachev, Nicklaus Perbix, and Erik Cernak.
Coming in at a modest $975K AAV, Raddysh figures to vie for a bottom pairing role with the team at training camp this fall.
After winning back to back cups in 2019-20 and 2020-21, the Lightning fell short of their quest for a three-peat in six games to the Colorado Avalanche. Feeling the effects of depleting their farm system in a series of “all-in” moves, and the physical toll of three consecutive Finals appearances, the Bolts bowed out in the 1st round to the Toronto Maple Leafs last year.
With their first extended offseason since 2019, Tampa Bay will look to bounce back this season in a hotly contested Atlantic Division.
-Kyle Skinner
Twitter: @JKyleSkinner
Photo: Jenn G. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.