TAMPA — Though Mikhail Sergachev’s recent absence has prevented the right-shot defenseman from showing off his offensive prowess, Darren Raddysh’s offensive skill set is still a secret outside the Lightning locker room.
The biggest reason Raddysh is playing more minutes is that he is now in charge of the second power play unit. Raddysh won some bragging rights throughout the league on Thursday at Amalie Arena with a 7-3 victory over the Minnesota Wild.
With a shot velocity of 102.40 mph, a first-period slap shot from above the right circle was the hardest in the three seasons the NHL has been using its NHL Edge platform to track shot volume statistics game-by-game.
The previous record-breaking shot was made on March 22, 2022, by Blues defenseman Colton Parayko, who recorded a speed of 101.95 mph. The Ducks’ and former Lightning defenseman Radko Gudas’s shot, which he launched against Arizona on November 2 at 101.69 mph, had been the hardest of the season.
The Lightning’s Brayden Point, a center, entered the offensive zone midway in the first period on Thursday. He then dropped a puck back to Raddysh, who scored a one-timer that goalie Filip Gustavsson blocked with his blocker.
Raddysh’s game isn’t new to offense. Before making a spot with the Lightning, he averaged more than a point per game in 50 games in AHL Syracuse the previous season, tallying 13 goals and 38 assists.
Raddysh scored two goals on January 4 at Minnesota and then scored the game-winning goal in overtime the following week against the Devils, after being goalless in his first 39 games of the season. He was plus-3 against the Wild on Thursday and has five points in his previous six games. He has had 12 shots on goal and an average of 21:41 of ice time over that span.
Victor Hedman, who has one of the hardest shots in the game, and Raddysh recently joined the best defensive duo. At the 2022 All-Star Game in Las Vegas, Hedman emerged victorious in the hardest-shot competition with a slap shot that was measured at 103.2 mph.
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