Confirmed Buy-Out [FLA] Scott Darling

[Canes]

It really is wild how fast he fell off. He went from a .924 in the NHL to a .882 in the AHL in under two years. I can't think of any comparable to that.

Hard to imagine he gets any NHL contract at this point. Maybe if he's lucky, someone's willing to throw him a bone and give him a minimum salary 2-way deal with the intent to bury him in the AHL but the NHL component still there "just in case" he finds his game again.

He got his contract from the Canes, then proceeded to show up overweight and out of shape, and it was all downhill from there. He never got his confidence back even when he showed up slimmed down last summer. Ultimately it's his own fault for being completely unprofessional after signing his contract. He'll be lucky to get an AHL job. He might have to try his hand in the ECHL or one of the lower European leagues, like the DEL, Allsvenskan, etc and work his way back up. Tall task at 30+ though.

 

[Zezel22]

I think the problem with Darling, is he is not seen as an NHL-goaltender. Not even a tweener.

Hence a good PTO. Maybe he flashes some of the good stuff.. if not, see ya nothing lost.

 

[SoCalFan]

He got his contract from the Canes, then proceeded to show up overweight and out of shape, and it was all downhill from there. He never got his confidence back even when he showed up slimmed down last summer. Ultimately it's his own fault for being completely unprofessional after signing his contract. He'll be lucky to get an AHL job. He might have to try his hand in the ECHL or one of the lower European leagues, like the DEL, Allsvenskan, etc and work his way back up. Tall task at 30+ though.

I don't know about this guy anymore. As a Hawks fan, I'm thankful for his contributions, but this whole fiasco with Carolina has left a bad taste in my mouth about him. My brother just took a bunch of pics with him at a Cubs game a couple weeks ago and said Darling looked in great shape. Today I see him on the Chicago Pro League roster and that he got engaged in China. The guy just lost his job and he still looks happy as hell.

 

[tmg]

‘Losing your job’ loses a bit of sting when it comes with a 4.7 million dollar severance package.

 

[Canes]

I don't know about this guy anymore. As a Hawks fan, I'm thankful for his contributions, but this whole fiasco with Carolina has left a bad taste in my mouth about him. My brother just took a bunch of pics with him at a Cubs game a couple weeks ago and said Darling looked in great shape. Today I see him on the Chicago Pro League roster and that he got engaged in China. The guy just lost his job and he still looks happy as hell.

I'm sure he's just happy to finally know his fate, to not have the pressure to be a starter anymore and the pay day just to go away surely helps too. Granted, I didn't get to watch much of him in Chicago but if he's anywhere near as bad as he was in Carolina, his days as a pro are numbered. He looked like a beer leaguer emergency back up more often than a professional goalie as far as skills are concerned.

 

[phillipmike]

Jim Carey is the first name that comes to mind. Won a Vezina at 21 and then was out of the league in 3 years.

Left to go on and have successful acting career though, seems like a good career move.

 

[FissionFire]

Left to go on and have successful acting career though, seems like a good career move.

This joke never gets funny

 

[Anton Babchuk]

He caught fire on a really talented team and made the most of it. He's fortunate to have lasted as long as he did. I love his size and he's not overly old. Shouldn't have trouble finding an AHL job or somewhere in Europe.

he was terrible in the ahl last season, in addition to being terrible at the nhl level the past two years. i think he'll have trouble finding a job in the ahl, or any high level european league.

 

[Anton Babchuk]

He got his contract from the Canes, then proceeded to show up overweight and out of shape, and it was all downhill from there. He never got his confidence back even when he showed up slimmed down last summer. Ultimately it's his own fault for being completely unprofessional after signing his contract. He'll be lucky to get an AHL job. He might have to try his hand in the ECHL or one of the lower European leagues, like the DEL, Allsvenskan, etc and work his way back up. Tall task at 30+ though.

this. he was in visibly terrible shape at the canes 5k run a few years ago. like if you didn't know who he was you'd think he was a fan. he then proceeded to suck for two straight years.

 

[Henkka]

Would be nice to see both Corey Crawford and Scott Darling together at Buffalo.

 

[b1e9a8r5s]

I don't know about this guy anymore. As a Hawks fan, I'm thankful for his contributions, but this whole fiasco with Carolina has left a bad taste in my mouth about him. My brother just took a bunch of pics with him at a Cubs game a couple weeks ago and said Darling looked in great shape. Today I see him on the Chicago Pro League roster and that he got engaged in China. The guy just lost his job and he still looks happy as hell.

He's not allowed to be happy in other areas of his life? Come on.

 

[SoCalFan]

He's not allowed to be happy in other areas of his life? Come on.

Of course he is. I’ve just never met anyone that had lost their job that wasn’t laying low feeling sorry for themselves. Relax, Francis.

 

[saluki]

Sad. He single handedly saved the Hawk's 2015 cup run.

 

[CamPopplestone]

Of course he is. I’ve just never met anyone that had lost their job that wasn’t laying low feeling sorry for themselves. Relax, Francis.

He's had a year to come to terms with it I suppose. The writing was on the wall after his first season in Carolina, and when the start of this year didn't go well, he probably knew.

 

[Lempo]

‘Losing your job’ loses a bit of sting when it comes with a 4.7 million dollar severance package.

Darling
You don't have to put on the red light
Those days are over

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Of course he is. I’ve just never met anyone that had lost their job that wasn’t laying low feeling sorry for themselves. Relax, Francis.

I doubt you ever met anyone that was paid millions to leave a job.

I think he probably wanted out of that job, since by all accounts, he was miserable. He was playing (poorly) in the AHL and requested a leave of absence during the season, which the team granted. Sometimes, getting out of a bad situation is a relief.

 

[mulefarm]

Would be a great backup for the Leafs.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Would be a great backup for the Leafs.

I take it you aren't a Leafs fan?

 

[Dr Beinfest]

To call a player “unprofessional” because they fell out of shape is obnoxious and arrogant.

It’s fair game to say he sucks and was overweight etc., but you have no reason or understanding of what’s behind the scenes. Not every human body is designed to be an athlete through the age of 35. There are tons of medical causes for weight gain, and it’s not exclusive to laziness. Better just to leave it to the facts, rather than trying to extrapolate information based upon little evidence.

 

[qqaz]

I take it you aren't a Leafs fan?

When the current options are Sparks and Hutchinson, most options look pretty good.

I, myself, am more than fine with Hutch. But if it turns out he can't do the job, then I'd try literally any option in the net before Sparks.

Darling? Sure.
Budaj? Absolutely!
"2 years removed from AHL action" Justin Peters? Oakie-dokie.
Comedian Russel Peters!? Go for it.
Brendan Shanahan himself? Done and done.
A cardboard cut-out of Redwings era Brendan Shanahan? Still better than Sparks.

 

[Negan4Coach]

To call a player “unprofessional” because they fell out of shape is obnoxious and arrogant.

It’s fair game to say he sucks and was overweight etc., but you have no reason or understanding of what’s behind the scenes. Not every human body is designed to be an athlete through the age of 35. There are tons of medical causes for weight gain, and it’s not exclusive to laziness. Better just to leave it to the facts, rather than trying to extrapolate information based upon little evidence.

Wrong. He signed a contract for millions of dollars. A big part of his job is maintaining peak physical condition. He was an utter failure at that, and hence, is the very textbook definition of "unprofessional"

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

To call a player “unprofessional” because they fell out of shape is obnoxious and arrogant.

It’s fair game to say he sucks and was overweight etc., but you have no reason or understanding of what’s behind the scenes. Not every human body is designed to be an athlete through the age of 35. There are tons of medical causes for weight gain, and it’s not exclusive to laziness. Better just to leave it to the facts, rather than trying to extrapolate information based upon little evidence.

Little evidence? From the N&O article last year, even Darling admitted he didn't take off-season training serious the first off-season after signing his deal.

In an article in July spotlighting Darling’s workouts, Luke DeCock of the Raleigh News & Observer quotes Darling on his less-than-enthusiastic approach to last season: “I think I just let my foot off the gas and figured it would just work out as is. I learned pretty quickly you can’t do that at this level.”

There were other interviews and articles where he fully admitted he came into camp out of shape because he didn't take his training seriously. Everybody, from Waddell to the Canes trainer said he came to camp out of shape and overweight.

To his credit, he stayed in Raleigh and worked hard to get, and stay in shape the 2nd off-season, so it was a 1 year thing. Still didn't work out though.

 

[Dr Beinfest]

Little evidence? From the N&O article last year, even Darling admitted he didn't take off-season training serious the first off-season after signing his deal.



There were other interviews and articles where he fully admitted he came into camp out of shape because he didn't take his training seriously. Everybody, from Waddell to the Canes trainer said he came to camp out of shape and overweight.

To his credit, he stayed in Raleigh and worked hard to get, and stay in shape the 2nd off-season, so it was a 1 year thing. Still didn't work out though.

My point was that not everything is as meets the eye. Everyone comments on professional athletes like they definitely have perfect lives and absolutely don’t have any of the same issues that common people do.

Evidence I’d be talking about is partying it up the night before games. Someone’s general laziness could be driven by personal/family issues, mental health, etc... not really worthwhile to criticize. Just acknowledge he was overweight, out of shape, and pure garbage in net. Being care free during the summer isn’t unprofessional and I guarantee you many NHLers do so, but some who try lose it all and others do not.

 

[bleedgreen]

Why would someone be looking down at him being happy to get engaged? His Dad just died, he lost his job but he found a person to be with for hopefully the rest of his life and presumably someone that makes him happy when he’s a guy who’s struggled to be that way.

Congrats man. Anyone know if it’s the same girl he was dating when he was with the Canes? Good for them. For the love of god be happy.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

My point was that not everything is as meets the eye. Everyone comments on professional athletes like they definitely have perfect lives and absolutely don’t have any of the same issues that common people do.

Evidence I’d be talking about is partying it up the night before games. Someone’s general laziness could be driven by personal/family issues, mental health, etc... not really worthwhile to criticize. Just acknowledge he was overweight, out of shape, and pure garbage in net. Being care free during the summer isn’t unprofessional and I guarantee you many NHLers do so, but some who try lose it all and others do not.

I get that, but you jumped all over another poster and this is a case where the player himself came out, multiple times and said he didn't take the off-season training seriously after signing his big contract. It's not making stuff up. The player himself admitted to it. Now, whether a person wants to call that unprofessional is up to them, but when you sign a multi-million dollar, multi-year deal to be the #1 and then don't take it seriously the first off-season, I can understand why people would think that unprofessional.

Don't get me wrong, I know that Scott has battled other issues so there's more going on than just being out of shape, but he put himself in that position by not committing to being in shape the first year (and proved he and do it the following year.)

Anyhow, I hold no ill-will toward him and hope he rebounds somewhere, or finds happiness away from the game. I'm glad he seems happy and is engaged. Good for him.