SPHL Mississippi RiverKings

Darling Paves Path to NHL

Published on November 19, 2014 under SPHL (SPHL)
Mississippi RiverKings News Release


SOUTHAVEN, Miss. -- A change of scenery is sometimes the difference between success and failure. For former Mississippi RiverKings goaltender Scott Darling, that has been true throughout his career.

The 25-year-old has been in plenty of different cities during his five-year professional career. Since turning pro before the 2010-11 season, Darling has played for 10 different teams, most recently for the National Hockey League's Chicago Blackhawks and their American Hockey League affiliate, Rockford IceHogs. That's a remarkable achievement for a whole who, just a few years ago, was struggling to find a job.

"People don't give the Southern Professional Hockey League the respect it deserves," Darling said. "For me personally, if that league wasn't there, I might have been out of hockey. I didn't have options in the [ECHL]."

Darling's path to the RiverKings began at the University of Maine. In his two years with the program from 2008 to 2010, he was suspended three times for breaking team rules. He then left after his sophomore season to begin his professional career.

Darling endured a rocky rookie season on the ice with the Louisiana IceGators in 2010-11. The IceGators lost 20 consecutive games from December 9 to January 15. Darling lost 12 of those games and he personally lost 13 straight games. By the time his season ended he was 6-19-3 with a 3.83 goals-against average and .892 save percentage.

The self-proclaimed partier arrived in Southaven the next season with a new attitude and maturity, focusing solely on hockey. It was that shift in focus that turned his career around.

"It was the perfect place for me to be," Darling said. "I needed a fresh start and Coach [Derek] Landmesser believed in me and gave me a fresh start in Mississippi. I needed that to get going again."

Darling needed to transform his reputation. Doubts about his off-the-ice actions were part of the reason why the Phoenix Coyotes did not sign their 2007 sixth-round draft pick.

"I told 'Mess' I was done being a partier and jeopardizing anything hockey related," Darling said. "He believed me, trusted my word and gave me a fresh start in Mississippi."

Trust became a key part of the relationship between coach and player.

"He was looking for an opportunity," Landmesser said. "I was upfront and honest with him and he was upfront and honest with me from the start. I believe in second chances."

Darling made the most of that second chance. In 35 games with the RiverKings in 2011-12, Darling posted a 15-17-1 record with a 2.92 goals-against average and .905 save percentage.

"He came in and worked hard and got things back on track," Landmesser said. "He put in the time on and off the ice and did the things he needed to do to be successful."

Because of that, Darling earned five separate promotions to various teams and leagues, including the CHL, ECHL and AHL.

While every player's goal is to move up the minor league system, Darling said he was different because he was taking every chance put in front of him.

"I was really trying hard to move up," Darling said. "I took five call-ups that season. I went up and down to the Florida Everblades, Wichita Thunder, Hamilton Bulldogs and Charlotte Checkers so I was missing games with the RiverKings, but he [Coach Landmesser] was okay with that."

Although each of those call-ups ended with a re-assignment back to the RiverKings, his brief spells in Wichita and Florida must have opened some eyes at the higher levels. The very next season he earned a spot with the ECHL's Wheeling Nailers.

Fast-forward to this season, when Darling made his NHL debut Oct. 26 for the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center in Chicago, he became the first former SPHL player to play in the NHL.

"It means a lot [being the first SPHL player in the NHL]. It wasn't an easy road," Darling said. "I'm proud of the achievement and I'm happy to help the league out and let people know that it's a good league and there are good players who play there."

For now Darling is back with the AHL's IceHogs where he has a 5-2-0-0 record in seven games. His goals-against average (1.83) and save percentage (0.935) are both fourth in the AHL.

"It's a huge accomplishment for him," Landmesser said. "He's earned it all. He's put a lot of things behind him and moved forward. I hope he has a long National Hockey League career."

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