Rangers Acquire Defenseman Darren Raddysh for Peter Holland
Feb 18, 2019New York Rangers General Manager Jeff Gorton announced today that the team has acquired defenseman Darren Raddysh (pictured, courtesy of Rockford IceHogs) from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Peter Holland.
Raddysh, 22 (turns 23 on February 28), has skated in 54 games with the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League (AHL) this season, registering eight goals and 18 assists for 26 points, along with a plus-six rating and 20 penalty minutes. He has established AHL career-highs in several categories this season, including goals, assists, and points. Among AHL defensemen younger than 23 years old in 2018-19, Raddysh is tied for fifth in goals and is tied for eighth in points. He ranks second on Rockford in assists, is tied for second in plus/minus rating, and ranks fifth in points this season. In addition, Raddysh leads IceHogs defensemen in assists, points, and plus/minus rating, and is tied for first among IceHogs defensemen in goals in 2018-19.
The 6-1, 200-pounder has skated in 120 AHL games over two seasons (2016-17 and 2017-18), both with Rockford, registering 13 goals and 35 assists for 48 points, along with a plus-16 rating and 46 penalty minutes. Prior to beginning his professional career, Raddysh played parts of five seasons of junior hockey (2012-13 – 2016-17) with the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), registering 41 goals and 143 assists for 184 points, along with a plus-135 rating and 210 penalty minutes in 272 games.
In his final season of junior hockey in 2016-17, Raddysh recorded 81 points (16 goals, 65 assists) and posted a plus-62 rating in 62 games. He was named the winner of the Max Kaminsky Trophy as the OHL’s Most Outstanding Defenseman and was named to the OHL’s First All-Star Team in 2016-17, and he led all OHL defensemen in points during the season. In addition, Raddysh helped Erie win the OHL Championship, as he recorded 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) and posted a plus-14 rating in 22 games during the OHL Playoffs. He also tallied eight points (three goals, five assists) and posted a plus-five rating in five games during the 2017 Memorial Cup, as he helped Erie advance to the Memorial Cup Final, and he was also named to the CHL’s Memorial Cup All-Star Team.
The Toronto, Ontario native was originally signed by Rockford as an undrafted free agent to an AHL contract on June 20, 2017, and he agreed to terms on an NHL contract with the Blackhawks on May 21, 2018.
Holland has skated in 52 games with the Rangers’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, this season, registering 20 goals and 29 assists for 49 points, along with 50 penalty minutes. He skated in 23 games with the Rangers during the 2017-18 season, recording one goal and three assists for four points, along with seven penalty minutes.