Darren Raddysh’s first night in a Maple Leafs sweater was the kind of debut a defenseman wants to erase fast.
Toronto opened its season Tuesday against the Montreal Canadiens at Scotiabank Arena with a roster that looked almost brand new outside the stars near the top of the lineup. With so much turnover over the offseason, the opener against Montreal doubled as an early test for several new faces. Raddysh, a hometown addition who signed an eight-year deal with an $8.5-million AAV this past summer, had a rough one.
The Leafs fell 3-2 in regulation, and Raddysh was right in the middle of Montreal’s first two goals.
After William Nylander put Toronto on the board to start the night, the Canadiens answered in the middle of the first period. Raddysh tried to clear the zone, but his breakout pass was picked off right away and sent back into his own end. Under light pressure from Kirby Dach, he lost the puck, and after Montreal settled into its setup, Josh Anderson tied the game.
It was a brutal sequence, especially with the spotlight on him in a debut for his hometown team.
And things did not get better on the next Montreal goal.
On Zack Bolduc’s opening-night marker, Raddysh got caught puckwatching in his own zone. As Mike Matheson drove through the crease and opened up the chance, Raddysh went for the body instead of staying on the player about to finish the play. Matheson ended up moving him out of the way, and the puck went in.
Raddysh was also on the ice for Montreal’s third goal, scored by Alexandre Carrier in the third period. He did not directly cause that one, but he was still part of the sequence and could have made a better decision if the play had been reset.
There is still room to give this some context. Toronto is only one game into a season under new coach Jim Hiller, and this group is still getting used to a different system. The Leafs’ defensive pairings may also need work, with Morgan Rielly perhaps not being the best fit alongside Raddysh.
The good news for Toronto is that there is no long wait to respond. The Leafs are back less than 24 hours later, hosting the New York Islanders in the second half of a season-opening back-to-back. If Raddysh bounces back there, this ugly first impression can start to fade.
In Other News...
Leafs Already Face An Early Chemistry Problem Fans Will Notice
After the Maple Leafs 3-2 loss to Montreal, the conversation shifted quickly from the final score to the bigger picture around a roster still trying to find its footing. Jim Hiller used the postgame setting to talk through Kirill Marchenkos debut alongside Auston Matthews, Gavin McKennas first NHL game, and the broader challenge of blending so many new faces into one group. There were encouraging individual efforts, but the night also showed how much work remains before the lines and pairings start to feel natural.
Hiller pointed to turnovers in the defensive zone as one of the rougher signs of the evening, and it was clear the Leafs are still in that early-stage rhythm where timing and trust are a little off. He stressed that the team is working to build chemistry on and off the ice, and that some of the growing pains are part of the process as players settle into their roles. For a fan base watching every shift closely, the concern is less about one loss than about how long it takes for the group to start looking connected. [Read more 🡒]
Patrik Laine Just Added To A Fascinating Leafs Possibility
Patrik Laines name has suddenly been floating around one of the leagues most watched markets, and it is the kind of possibility that naturally gets attention in Toronto. The winger is a free agent after his contract with the Montreal Canadiens expired, and while nothing is official, there has been enough speculation and social media chatter to suggest he may be open to the Maple Leafs as he looks for his next landing spot.
For a team that is always under the microscope for ways to add scoring, Laine is the sort of player who can fuel plenty of discussion even before anything gets serious. Reports have suggested a new deal could come together soon, perhaps within the week, but until there is a real decision, the Leafs are left with a tantalizing idea rather than a finished move. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Are Suddenly Taking A Real Early-Season Goalie Gamble
The early-season goalie picture in Edmonton is already getting interesting, with Mike Babcock turning to Tristan Jarry against Vancouver in an effort to give him a chance to reset after a difficult season. Devon Levi has been the more convincing option of late, but the decision reflects how quickly a coaching staff can shift from recent form to longer-term trust, especially when a team is trying to settle one of the most delicate spots on the roster.
For Toronto, the broader market around the league is worth watching because it keeps moving pieces into play. Ryan OReilly is being floated as a possible trade candidate out of Nashville as he enters the final year of his contract without an extension expected, while Toronto has already shown a willingness to pay up when it wants a player badly, landing Marchenko from Columbus after offering Matthew Knies and other assets. Montreal reportedly balked at Columbuss ask for a more impactful piece, which helped clear the path for the Leafs to win the bidding. [Read more 🡒]