Lightning rumors: The lowball contract Tampa Bay offered to Darren Raddysh

The NHL offseason has just begun, and rumors are already running rampant for the Tampa Bay Lightning. With the draft beginning on June 26 and the free agency window opening on July 1, it appears the franchise is rumored to be aiming to keep defenseman Darren Raddysh on the roster.

However, the early buzz is that the Lightning allegedly made Raddysh a low-ball offer. Reports indicate that the initial offer the front office made to Raddysh was a $5.75 mill yearly salary, according to Dave McCarthy of NHL.com.

“My understanding is that the Tampa Bay Lightning’s opening offer to Darren Raddysh a few weeks ago was five years at $5.75M AAV,” reported McCarthy. “Will be interesting to see where this goes.”

If that is the first official offer from the Lightning, then the club offered the five-year veteran $2.25 million less than his projected $8 million per year salary, per Dave Litman of NHL Trade Rumors. If that is the case, then Tampa Bay may not be able to retain the rising star.

“AFP Analytics projects Raddysh to be able to land a six-year deal with an $8 million AAV,” claimed Litman… “Additionally, in his five years in the NHL (all with the Lightning), Raddysh has never cracked the million mark in salary, earning $975,000 in each of the last two seasons with Tampa. That’s why this will be a very difficult decision for him. He would really like to stay, but it doesn’t seem like the Bolts can match what he’ll be offered on the open market.”

Raddysh is coming off the best campaign of his career with the Lightning. He totaled a career-high 70 points (22 goals, 48 assists) in 73 games played just this last season. Darren Raddysh should be a name to watch once the free agency window opens on July 1.

The post Lightning rumors: The lowball contract Tampa Bay offered to Darren Raddysh appeared first on ClutchPoints.