Lightning’s Darren Raddysh unleashes NHL’s hardest recorded shot

TAMPA — Darren Raddysh’s offensive skill set might be a secret outside the Lightning locker room, but the right-shot defenseman has been able to show off his offensive chops during the recent absence of Mikhail Sergachev.

Raddysh is playing more minutes, mainly because he now mans the second power-play unit. In Thursday’s 7-3 win over the Minnesota Wild at Amalie Arena, Raddysh earned some league-wide bragging rights.

A first-period slap shot from above the right circle was clocked at 102.40 mph, making it the hardest recorded shot in the three seasons the NHL has been tracking game-by-game shot volume data through its NHL Edge platform.

Previously, the hardest shot belonged to Blues defenseman Colton Parayko, who recorded a 101.95 mph shot on March 22, 2022. The hardest this season had belonged to Ducks and former Lightning defenseman Radko Gudas, who fired a 101.69 mph shot Nov. 2 against Arizona.

Midway through the first period Thursday, Lightning center Brayden Point entered the offensive zone and dropped a pass back to Raddysh, who fired a one-timer that goaltender Filip Gustavsson stopped with his blocker.

Offense isn’t new to Raddysh’s game. He averaged more than a point per game in 50 games at AHL Syracuse last season, recording 13 goals and 38 assists, before finding a place with the Lightning.

After going without a goal in his first 39 games this season, Raddysh scored two Jan. 4 at Minnesota and then netted the winner in overtime a week later against the Devils. He has five points in his last six games and was plus-3 Thursday against the Wild. During that stretch, he is averaging 21:41 of ice time and has 12 shots on goal.

Raddysh recently joined the top defense pair with Victor Hedman, who also possesses one of the league’s hardest shots. Hedman won the hardest-shot competition at the 2022 All-Star Game in Las Vegas with a slap shot timed at 103.2 mph.

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