I'm far from an expert on many things. One of those many is university hockey in Canadia. So I thought I'd poke around the NAIT hockey website and see what I could learn. And out jumped #32 Dion Darling's balding head. Far be it for me to have much to say about balding heads but that's not really the point. He looked to be pretty old though.
So I did some research and here's Dion's story. He turns 38 next month. He was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the 5th round in 1993. After 3 years in the WHL with Spokane and Moose Jaw, Dion spent most of the next 4 years with Fredricton in the AHL; then 3 years in the IHL with Fort Wayne, Long Beach and Manitoba. In 2001-02 he skated 13 games for Idaho in the WCHL and 14 games with Omsk in Russia. The last 6 years he spent in the UK playing for Sheffield, Nottingham and Cardiff.
He's 6'3" and packs 222lbs on the blueline. Back in 6 AHL/IHL seasons he tallied one-thousand one-hundred and sixteen penalty minutes. Here's his hockey.db entry.
This is a link to an interview with Darling on hockeyfights.com. The interviewer wrote this preamble before the Q&A in 2003:
Dion Darling is a tough, no-nonsense defenceman with the Sheffield Steelers in the British Ice Hockey Superleauge. Dion was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in 1993, but has spent most of his career in the minor leagues in North America. Before coming to Sheffield, Dion had played for the Fredericton Canadiens in the AHL, the Manitoba Moose in the IHL and in Russia with Omsk Avangard. Darling became the Sheffield Steelers’ main enforcer this season, taking on the likes of Dody Wood, Dennis Maxwell and Jason Clarke.
Make sure you go read the whole interview. Dion wasn't one of these guys that was reluctant to fight but did it anyway in hopes of getting a shot in the show. After reading the interview, I'd say he was happy to do so.
Honestly, I'm scared to look at the playing histories for the other guys on NAIT roster. Good luck Seawolves and um ... ffs; don't piss Dion off.
9 comments:
Another washed up Thug on a Canadian College Hockey team roster.Do you think this guy is really going to class?
This guy does sound like a 'ringer', having played for an NHL team and all. Hope the Wolves come into this game expecting to play a 'WCHA' level game and dish out a little whoop ass of their own. :)
Not a ringer. Just a guy who made his living playing hockey for as long as he could and is going back to school to get an education. Good on him.
I'm sure you're right, Donald. Wasn't trying to be disrespectful towards him/the team. I was using the term ringer in more of a 'he's going to be a really good opponent' way rather than to imply that he was an imposter or coming in under false pretenses. Bad word choice, for sure.
Either way, I'm sure it'll be a great game. :)
I'm just skerred he'd find the blog and retaliate against our young men. ;-)
He's too much of knuckle head to figure out how to use a computer :)
I wonder if your going to have some competition this season D: (I wonder how many people will show up if they decide to do this all season. I would personally attend yours & UAA's for away games.)
http://www.goseawolves.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=13400&ATCLID=205291587
Actually, that should be a good resource for folks. Being a uni blog there'll be rules and whoever is running it (Dallas I'd imagine) will put lots of good info.
As my live blogs tend to be a free for all the fans that want to experience that and contribute freely will show up to mine to do that and theirs for stats and such that I suck at anyway.
I can imagine that I'll be at least lurking on theirs. Yay for tabbed browsing!!!
After one period UAA up 1-0. SOG UAA 9 NAIT 5
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