NHL Morning Coffee Headlines – June 19, 2026
Maple Leafs acquire Darren Raddysh, Mike Babcock cleared to join the Oilers, Jonathan Toews to announce his retirement, and more in today’s NHL Morning Coffee Headlines.
TSN: reports the Toronto Maple Leafs have acquired defenseman Darren Raddysh from the Tampa Bay Lightning in a sign-and-trade deal.
Toronto Maple Leafs acquire Darren Raddysh from the Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL Images).
Raddysh’s new contract, which will go into effect on July 1, is an eight-year deal worth an average annual value above $8 million. The Lightning are believed to be receiving a late-round pick.
The 30-year-old blueliner had 22 goals, 48 assists, 70 points, along with a plus-minus of plus-21 while averaging 22:42 of ice time per game. All of those stats were career highs.
Raddysh is completing a two-year contract with an average annual value of $975,000.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Raddysh had back-to-back 30-plus point seasons before his breakout performance this season, which was largely due to his filling in for sidelined Lightning star Victor Hedman, especially on the power play.
This is the biggest move thus far by John Chayka, the Maple Leafs’ new general manager. It will mollify his critics, who weren’t impressed with his hiring of Jim Hiller as head coach and his trading away popular goalie Joseph Woll to the Philadelphia Flyers.
It remains to be seen if Raddysh can replicate his 70-point performance on the Maple Leafs. If he can, he’ll provide a big boost to their offense while providing much-needed puck-moving skill on the right side of their blueline. If he can’t, his contract will become a millstone that Chayka’s critics will happily hang around his neck.
EDMONTON JOURNAL: The NHL completed its investigation into the reasons behind coach Mike Babcock’s brief tenure with the Columbus Blue Jackets. It ruled that, “even in a light least favorable to Mr. Babcock, there is no current basis to restrict his employment in the League.”
The decision clears the way for Babcock to be hired as head coach of the Oilers.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: This decision received an overwhelmingly negative response from pundits and fans on social media, but the Oilers aren’t concerned with the public’s reaction. Everyone in the franchise, from the team owner to management to the players, reportedly wants to bring in Babcock as their next head coach.
If they hire Babcock as expected, it feels like a desperation move by a club that came oh-so-close to winning the Stanley Cup two years ago but declined significantly this season as their roster weaknesses worsened.
Should Babcock somehow guide this team to the Stanley Cup despite its obvious roster weaknesses (including the glaring hole in net), he’ll be praised as a genius. If it doesn’t work (especially if Babcock’s reputation as a bully dominates headlines again), it could hasten the demise of the Connor McDavid-Leon Draisaitl era in Edmonton.
THE WINNIPEG SUN: Jonathan Toews is expected to announce his retirement on Friday. The 38-year-old center staged a comeback with the Jets this season after being sidelined for two seasons by health issues.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It was clear that age and the time away from the game had taken their toll on Toews. He played all 82 games, but his 11 goals and 18 assists for 29 points were career lows as he was unable to fill the Jets’ second-line center position.
Nevertheless, Toews’ 15 seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks ensure that he’ll be a first-ballot inductee into the Hockey Hall of Fame. He captained them to three Stanley Cups, won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2010, the Selke Trophy in 2012-13, and the Mark Messier Leadership Award in 2014-15.
Toews finishes with 912 points in 1,149 regular-season games, and 119 points in 137 postseason contests.
TSN: The Boston Bruins will retire Patrice Bergeron’s No. 37 during a pregame ceremony next season.
Bergeron spent the entirety of his 19-season NHL career with the Bruins from 2003-04 to 2022-23. He served as team captain during his final three seasons, and won the Selke Trophy as the top defensive forward a league-record six times. Bergeron also helped the Bruins win the Stanley Cup in 2011.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Bergeron is eligible for induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame this year. He’s expected to be a first-ballot inductee.
NHL.COM: Left wing Pierre-Edouard Bellemare has announced his retirement. His 700 NHL regular-season games are the most by a player from France. He had 64 goals and 74 assists for 138 points from 2014-15 to 2023-24 with the Philadelphia Flyers, Vegas Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Seattle Kraken, along with 15 points in 85 playoff games.
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER: Anaheim Ducks winger Troy Terry underwent surgery on June 9 to repair a right hip impingement and labral tear. He’s expected to be sidelined for five to six months.
NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: Devils assistant coach Jeremy Colliton is leaving the organization to pursue other business opportunities.
OTTAWA SUN: The Senators have cut ties with winger Alex Formenton, making him eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Formenton was among the five players of the 2018 Canadian World Junior team charged with sexual assault and later acquitted.
KUKLA’S KORNER: Paul Kukla, who ran the hockey blog Kukla’s Korner, passed away earlier this week. He was among a group of pioneering hockey bloggers who rose to prominence during the 2004-05 NHL lockout, going on to carve out a long career covering the NHL, particularly the Detroit Red Wings.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I got to know Paul during that season-killing lockout, striking up an online friendship that lasted two decades. We frequently corresponded on all things hockey or to commiserate during the difficult times that come with being freelance writers.
When I was laid off by Fox Sports in 2011, Paul hired me to write a column for the 2011-12 season. I’m forever grateful to him for that.
Paul had been dealing with health issues in recent years, which at times required him to take some time away from his blog.
Nevertheless, the strong hockey community that he built never wavered, supporting him to the end.
Paul was an inspiration to aspiring hockey bloggers, providing a home for those trying to launch careers, and helping those (like myself) who were trying to keep a writing career alive during a low point.
Rest in peace, Paul, and thank you.
Tampa Bay will sign Carlson and load up for one last Cup run!
Babcock I don’t think will last long with Edmonton hearing from other players that played for him they didn’t really have anything nice to say about Mike quite to the contrary.
I think you’ll find a couple of players revolt a leopard doesn’t change his spots, Man that is a lot dough to be paying Raddysh, it’s a gamble hope it pays off for the leafs.
That’s a long contract for a guy who’s had his first big year as a 30y/o.
He has 35goals in 249 games , 22 of them last year.
Agreed. The Leafs will be shocked when he falls back to earth.
Coming from a Habs fan.! lol…
Really hard to formulate a strong reaction one way or another on the Raddysh deal.
Prior to this past season, when he got to replace Hedman in terms of ice- and pp-time, from 2021-22 to the end of 2024-25 he played in 176 games with 82-game averages of 6g 28a 34 pts and an aggregate +3.
That he suddenly exploded this past season both offensively and defensively (22g 48a 70 pts and a +21) would be putting it mildly, and that has vaulted him from a $975,000 cap hit to one of $8 mil for 8 years.
On the other side of the coin, he turns 31 in February, so will be approaching 39 in the final year of the deal. And as yet we don’t know whether his new deal includes NM/NT clauses.
Also, with a breakout year like that, and being a league-wide coveted RD, it seems strange that Tampa would settle for a late round draft pick.
I guess we’ll have to wait for more contract details before getting a better handle on the move. I know one thing … can’t wait to read Simmons take on this one … LOL.
Oilers fan here…. Tampa Bay KNOWS how to take
care of suckers. Bowman traded Sam O”reilly to
Tampa Bay for Isaac Howard. Howard is an AHL allstar while Sam will be cruising along as an NHL
3C. You got TOOK by Tampa Bay. Join the club.
Ummm … just for the record Alan … I didn’t get TOOK as I am not a member of LeafsNation. My primary “loyalty” lies elsewhere 🙂
I was just voicing my initial reaction to the deal.
Took by Tampa.? Raddysh actually got to play 22.41 Average ice time as he replaced Hedman as this reminds me of Brian Rafalski who did the same in NJ years ago and had a very successful career in his 30’s.
The first 5 years will be good I believe.!
Sam O’Reilly you think is no good.?? Did you not see him play this year.? As the kid is poised to be like a Toews type of player, passionate and is a heart and soul player that will be a star in Tampa in the next few years. Love the kid as Howard is an AHL all Star not NHL as they are very different leagues and many players like Howard never succeed in the NHL as look what he did in his call up alongside Connor, didn’t look to good IMO.
Alan Pinder-Moss – I think that is very premature tak on the trade.
You could turn out to be right but lets give it a few more seasons. Howard displayed well at the world’s as a rookie. I’d not be so quick to cast him as an lifer ahler.
George, I’m curious how money is structured as well. Does salary go down last few years? Does it have signing bonuses. Things that could effect a buyout in later years.
Those, too, could make a huge difference on the overall assessment of the deal, Slick62. Keeping an eye on Puckpedia for updates.
According to AI, “Darren Raddysh’s new $8.5 million AAV places him among the top 25 highest-paid defensemen in the NHL. He ties Mikhail Sergachev (Utah), Brock Faber (Minnesota), and Ivan Provorov (Columbus) for the 21st highest cap hit among all blueliners.
Pre-Trade Cap Space: $27.3 Million
• Raddysh Cap Hit: $8.5 Million
• Projected Remaining Cap Space: $18.8 Million
With roughly $18.8 million left under the cap, Toronto still has considerable flexibility to navigate the remaining offseason. However, insider reports indicate Chayka is far from finished reshaping the defense. The team is reportedly exploring trade options for longtime veteran Morgan Rielly and listening to calls on Jake McCabe to free up more financial breathing room.
One more thing: Since joining Tampa full-time in 2023-24 (he had played 21 games from 2021 to 2023), he has only missed 8 games due to minor dings, so he has shown he is durable.
In saying above “with a breakout year like that, and being a league-wide coveted RD, it seems strange that Tampa would settle for a late round draft pick” perhaps they did get queries from other teams looking to shore up the RD position (Pittsburgh and their reams of cash, for example) – but no one else had the appetite for a sign-and-trade arrangement of that length and $ amount.
Lyle, my sincerest condolences on the passing of your good friend. And my sincerest congratulations for emerging from that “low point” to put together an exceptional hockey blog that means so much to all of us here.
This!
Was going to type this exact thing. Feel the same way, 100%!
Condolences to kula’s korner writer!
How come TB only received a 5th rounder for raddysh? Is that a good swap? Then a huge raise for him in Toronto. He is pretty good but to me that seems like TB could have made out better
Toews was a great hockey player
I hope the Avalanche are correct about their “window of opportunity” in winning another cup because after that the cupboard is bare. They don’t have many prospects it seems on the way to make big impact in the NHL. Meanwhile, they fritter away series in the playoffs. I have always had faith in sakic . Not so much with mackinnon and makar as leaders. Landeskog is the clear leader but the other guys IDK?
Yowza did not know Paul passed. Sad. Loved his work. Glad we still have you here!
RIP Paul as I was a guest writer for him in 2009 and have followed Kukla’s corner for a very long time,! God bless his family.
Toews and Bergeron – two of my all-time favourite players. They showed us how to play the game.
rip Paul K. I’ve been following him on kuklaskorner.com for years. he was posting several times about not feeling well and attending doctors.
my deepest condolences to his family
Anybody who doesn’t recognize that signing a breakout 30y/o to an 8 yr contract is a gamble is living in la-la-land.
It doesn’t mean the gamble won’t pay off but the odds are long.
Those odds make for big winners sometimes, it’s about recognizing the situation as you pull the trigger.
Well, with both Chayka and his new coach Hiller being analytics-driven, clearly they liked his.
Depends on the motivation.
Avg GM life with one team- 4.5 yrs
Avg coach life with one team- 2.5 yrs.
Toronto is hungry for success and resigned to failure, so are these guys looking down the road or needing quick fixes?
Analytics show defensemen reaching their peak performance between 25-29 and begin to decline, not as fast as forwards mind you.
As always there are exceptions, but they are not predictable.