"Former McGill captain Mathieu Darche will be wearing No. 21 on the Oct. 31 TSN broadcast of the Tampa-New Jersey game... It will mark his first time on national TV in Canada... Darche, who played for the Redmen from 1996 to 2000, was advised on Oct. 26 by Lightning GM Jay Feaster, that he can start looking for a house, which means he has finally made an NHL roster from the start of a season."
-- Earl Zukerman, McGill Athletics press release
It's been a long time coming, well worth the wait for Mathieu Darche, the only four-year CIS player now playing in the NHL. The Lightning's commitment to their big-ticket stars has created a need for economy-priced players like him to step in, and by the looks of it he's made the most of an opportunity that keeps hundreds of career minor leaguers and European-based pros going.
Hey, the Lightning even seem to realize when you have a lot of home games early in the season, it's good idea to win them. Not that I'm referring to a certain team whose uniforms also contain blue and white.
(Yes, a post about a former Redmen star vreferenced a Tragically Hip song.... the Queen's-McGill rivalry knows no bounds.)
(As pointed out in the comments, Atlanta Thrashers' Steve Rucchin and Columbus Blue Jackets' Jody Shelley played in the CIS, but each did so for only one season. Good catch, GoldenGuy.)
"The lone CIS player playing in the NHL"
ReplyDeleteHave I missed the retirements of Steve Rucchin and Jody Shelley?
So, this Steve Rucchin is no relation to the Steve Rucchin who was a three time OUA All-star in hiw four year UWO career? ;)
ReplyDelete