Family first: Darren Raddysh focused on time with his father, Dwayne, this Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving isn’t about turkey, NFL football or fall weather for Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh this year.

After his father, Dwayne, was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer on May 17 this year, all that matters is family time.

Darren will join his wife, son and brother, Taylor—the former Lightning forward who now plays for the New York Rangers—to spend a few days with his parents after the siblings face one another this Saturday in New York.

At a time when many are reflecting about what they are most thankful for, the Lightning defenseman said it’s impossible to portray just how grateful he is for some quality time with his father.

“I think once I see him, I'll probably break down,” Darren said.

“It's a special moment. I know when I look back on this in the future and when I see my son, he might not be able to remember my dad, but he'll have pictures of the memories we made together to know how special these days are. There’s so much stuff behind the scenes that we're doing to make sure we’re able to make these moments happen.”

‘He’s a fighter'

Darren was visiting Washington D.C. to watch his brother play in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs when he first learned of his father’s diagnosis. Dwayne asked to talk to each of his sons and told them of the challenge ahead.

“It was a tough thing to hear, but he’s a strong man, and he’s a fighter,” Darren said. "I know he’s gonna fight until the end for whatever happens.”

Dwayne means “the world” to his son.

“He's always there to give you a little kick in the butt or just to tell you you played great. He's been a role model to me and to my brother, and everything that we embody as grown men, it's come from him. He's always taught us to never give up and to never not try your hardest, and he's doing that right now with his battle. I just love him so much.”

Raddysh’s visit to see his father will come days after the Lightning hosted their annual Hockey Fights Cancer Night at Benchmark International Arena on Monday.

Seeing the cancer patients, survivors, as well as the loved ones of those who fought cancer take to the ice on Monday resonated deeply with Raddysh.

“I know we're going through it, but there's also millions of other people going through the same thing. There’s people that have fought it off, and there's people that haven't. Just to see the support that everyone has for those battling, it's nice to know that there's so many people in their corner,” he said.

“Because I know, especially even for my family, it's been hard this last summer and these last couple months. So just to see the support, I know how much it means to a lot of people. It's pretty special.”

Darren this week credited his Lightning teammates, particularly captain Victor Hedman, for being part of his family’s support system and helping him plan the visit with his father.

"He's always asking how I'm doing, he's always on my side,” he said of Hedman. "And he's told me many times, ‘Don't worry about whatever happens in here. Just make sure if you need to go home, you need to go. If you can't do it today, or whatever it may be, just make sure you get yourself right, and the team will come second.' He's been really helpful with that. I talk to him as much as I can, and he's just a voice of reason when things aren't going too well."

'The best hockey dad'

“I would say we're the typical hockey family that isn’t really emotional or sentimental. We're pretty straightforward. If you play bad, my dad will let you know. Or if you play great it’s, ‘You played great.’ He's gonna tell you the truth straight to your face.

“I love that about him, and it's something that I want to pass on to my family as well.”

Although he never played organized, high-level hockey, Dwayne’s immense love for the sport and his family played an integral role in helping both of his sons reach the NHL.

“He bought us our first rollerblades when we were young, and we were skating around in the basement when we were two years old,” Raddysh said. “From the start he always had a hockey stick in our hand. He was always the first one to get up at four in the morning to take us to the rink, and he'd literally rush home from work and make sure we were always on time. We were never late.

“He is the best hockey dad you could ever ask for.”