The similarities might be unfair, but they are also difficult to ignore.
After years of struggling to find his role in the NHL, a journeyman veteran finally gets an opportunity to show what he can do just as his contract is about to expire. Against all odds, he enjoys a breakout year, which then leads to a massive contract for more money than he can ever imagine.
Even better, it's to play for his hometown team.
No, we're not talking about David Clarkson, who infamously signed a seven-year deal worth $36.75 million with Toronto in 2013 only to see it blow up in the faces of Maple Leafs fans immediately after.
Instead, after a season in which he scored 22 goals and 70 points in 73 games, Darren Raddysh signed an eight-year contract worth $68 million with Toronto in July.
It's a lot of money for someone who had previously never scored more than six goals or 37 points. While there is no guarantee that the 30-year-old will build upon the success he had last season, those who have watched the late-bloomer's journey believe that Raddysh's big breakout was a sign of things to come.
"I know Raddy quite well. I’m very happy for him," former Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner told The Hockey News at last week's NHL Player Media Tour in Las Vegas.
"I think like a lot of people who probably grow up in Toronto you’re whole dream is to play for that team one day, so I know about his family and how much they loved the Leafs growing up, so it’s a full-moment so I’m super happy for him.
Marner grew up playing summer hockey with Raddysh and shares the same personal trainer. The two, along with Raddysh's younger brother Taylor, have known each other for more than 15 years.
During that time, Marner has been watching Raddysh's career and wondering when — if ever — he was going to get the kind of opportunity to show the hockey world how good he could be.
That opportunity, following nine years of toiling in the minors and bouncing around between three different NHL teams, finally happened last season.
Due to injuries and absences to Tampa Bay's defense, the Lightning relied on Raddysh more than anyone anticipated or expected. To everyone's surprise, he flourished in the bigger role and was a major reason why the Lightning made the playoffs.
Along with the 17 goals, which had him tied for third among NHL defensemen, Raddysh scored 10 power-play goals and logged 22:42 in ice time — more than five minutes than the previous season — for a Tampa Bay team that finished second in the Atlantic Division standings.
"Look, he had an outstanding year," Lightning winger Jake Guentzel told The Hockey News last week in Las Vegas. "He got whatever he deserved.
Obviously, I was pretty close with him. He’s a good friend.
I think he’s going to do unbelievable in Toronto.
"He’s a hometown kid and he’s an unbelievable player, unbelievable shot. He kind of went into that role of a 200-foot defenseman last year and played against a lot of top lines, so he grew as a player and as a person.
He was huge. With the injuries, he and (J.J.) Moser stabilized things for us last year and they played a lot of minutes and a lot of tough minutes.
It will be tough to replace him.
The Lightning replaced Raddysh with John Carlson, who will have massive skates to fill next season. But it's the Maple Leafs who are the ones that are really gambling.
They are banking on Raddysh to come in and be something they didn't have last season, scoring only 28 goals from the back end, and which they haven't had since Bryan McCabe scored 19 goals from the point in 2005-06: a power-play trigger-man.
It's a lot of pressure for someone who flew under the radar in Tampa Bay and prior to last season had never been a top-pairing defenseman or someone who was relied upon for offense.
As Clarkson showed when he came to Toronto more than a decade ago, it's one thing to score when no one expects anything out of you. It's another to do it as the highest-paid defenseman on your hometown team.
But when asked why he believes Raddysh won't be another one-year wonder who struggles under the spotlight or the lofty expectations that come with a big payday, Marner said it's because of his work ethic — and his weapon of a shot.
"He’s worked his butt off for multiple years to finally kind of get that great opportunity that he had in Tampa and paid like he’s deserved. So, super happy for him," said Marner.
"You need someone who can bomb it up top every once in a while and pick and choose their spots to hit it. I think he gets angry every so often and shows his anger and is not afraid to throw hands and get physical as well.
"To see where his career is now is amazing."