Suddenly, Toronto’s blue line is moving in a different path, and Darren Raddysh and Jim Hiller are at the forefront of the change.
It’s genuine.
Toronto and Tampa Bay are closing a sign-and-trade, and it isn’t a deep swing. Raddysh is expected to sign an eight-year contract with an AAV of more than $8 million.
It’s a pledge.
Additionally, it reveals how the Leafs genuinely perceive him.
They aren’t bringing him in to fill a hole. In order to make him a member of the rear-end core, they are introducing him.
That quickly alters the discourse.
” Verifying that Tampa Bay and Toronto are completing a sign-and-trade that includes upcoming UFA. Raddysh, Darren.
There is word that this will be an eight-year contract with an average yearly value (AAV) exceeding $8 million.
The specifics of Darren Raddysh’s new contract are surprising everyone.
From management, this is a distinct indication.
The blue line is no longer being patched by Toronto. Raddysh fits a modern profile – mobile, capable of moving pucks, and able to play real minutes – as they attempt to construct it differently.
However, the number is equally as significant as the player.
The cap structure is altered by an eight-year contract at that cost. Especially on a squad that already has huge upfront deals, it mandates decisions elsewhere.
And it does raise questions.
How does this affect Morgan Rielly over the long haul? What about the other members of the defense? How do they match up after a brand-new, costly player is added?
Those answers are approaching quickly.
This is about asset management for Tampa Bay.
Toronto takes on the long-term risk, but they convert a UFA who is about to become one into value rather than losing him for nothing.
That’s the exchange.
This kind of transaction isn’t evaluated in its first year.
They are evaluated in years seven, six, and five.
However, Toronto’s message is unmistakable.
They are not waiting.
They’re prepared to spend money to alter the identity of their blue line under a new coach, and they’re making aggressive moves early in the offseason.
That’s not a tiny adjustment.
This is a declaration.
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