Taylor Raddysh had a flashy 20-goal, 17-assist season in 2022-23 with the Chicago Blackhawks. Last season, he was poised for another big year but instead, his offensive production was underwhelming.
He only scored five goals the whole year, which included a 21-game drought, falling short of the 13+ goals he was statistically expected to score.
This might sound concerning since the Capitals just signed him to a one-year, $1 million contract.
But it’s really more of a surmountable challenge for the coaching staff.
Raddysh is only 26 years-old, and he’s only played three full NHL seasons. Scoring 20 goals, then suddenly only 5 the next year, without any injuries to explain the deficit doesn’t scream ‘red flags.’ Instead, it screams ‘a player who needs a little coaching.’
There are no major anomalies in Raddysh’s stat sheet from last year. His ice time wasn’t cut drastically. His giveaways aren’t different. His shot attempts or shots on goal aren’t that different.
But his high danger shot attempts did drop drastically compared to two seasons ago, coupled with an increase in low danger chances.
Other teams simply figured out how to prevent him from getting high danger scoring chances, and Raddysh wasn’t able to find a way to generate those high danger chances. Of course, the Blackhawks’ issues as a team are a big factor, too. They were 23-53-6 and ranked second-to-last overall in the NHL last season.
Raddysh, the 6’3” 198-lb Canadian winger, has the skills to get back to his 20-goal self. He can cash in on breakaways, beat goalies with heavy slappers, and get gritty in front of the net. Talk about versatility. He’s always got one eye on the puck.
Based on how other lackluster players in Washington have responded to the coaching staff and leadership, it won’t be a big surprise to see Raddysh bounce back. He just needs a little guidance from the coaches and veteran players on the team. He, like Brandon Duhaime, could find a cozy spot on the Capital’s fourth line with veteran center Nic Dowd.
Raddysh will wear #16 with the Capitals.
