Official Site of Darcy Hordichuk

Darcy Hordichuk is eager to aid the Vancouver Canucks goaltender.

“I’m just kind of feeling out the situation with the coaching staff and see what they want me to do in situations like that,” said Hordichuk, who played with Luongo in Florida.
“Maybe I run their goalie or whatever they want me to do. I’m looking forward to it and some do it [crease crash] more than others. Those are the guys you key in on as a target.”

Just like new Canucks centre Ryan Johnson, who also played with Luongo on the Panthers, Hordichuk knows the value of Luongo who often found himself in a Florida shooting gallery.

“The good thing about him was also bad,” recalled Hordichuk. “A lot of guys let up because they knew Roberto would be there for the big save and you kind of cheat in the offensive end. We’d get outshot 50-25 and win 2-1. It was pretty special to have a guy like that in net.”

Full Story: Former-now-new teammates have fond memories of Lu – [Canada.com]

For a National Hockey League tough guy, new Vancouver Canuck Darcy Hordichuk has an unpredictable taste in dogs.

His on-ice role calls for ferocity and size yet his pets are itty-bitty Shih Tzus named Chandler and Franklin.

Chandler and Franklin? What gives?

“They are to protect my wife,” Hordichuk winked. Wednesday after a skate at Burnaby 8-Rinks. “They’re two big killers. Twelve pounds each. We named Chandler when we lived in Chandler, Ariz., and Franklin when we lived in Franklin, Tenn. They’re loving it here in Vancouver, walking up and down the streets of Yaletown meeting all the other dogs.”

It’s apparent that Hordichuk, the pride of Kamsack, Sask., has retained his sense of humour despite his numerous hockey fights. He realized early on he didn’t have Gretzky-like moves so he embraced the enforcer’s role.

His parents, he admitted, were chagrined. His father is an X-ray technician and his mother a nurse. They weren’t terribly athletic and their other child was a girl, Darcy’s older sister. So this fighting stuff was new to them.

“My parents used to cover their eyes the first 60 fights I was in,” said Hordichuk, straight-faced. “I think they’re used to it now and they know I can hold my own.”

By his own account, Hordichuk was in 73 fights during his two seasons of major junior with the Saskatoon Blades.

In his first professional campaign with the Orlando Solar Bears of the defunct International League, he collected 369 penalty minutes to lead the league.

The Solar Bears won the IHL title so he must have been doing something right.

He understands there is a following for what he does and has his own web site, appropriately named darcyhordichuk.com.

“I knew my role early on in junior,” explained Hordichuk, 28, who signed with the Canucks for three years at $750,000 per season. “I knew if I wanted to make it to the next level I’d have to drop the mitts. I knew that you have to be good at what you do and you have to be willing.”

“I was more than willing.”

Hordichuk isn’t particularly large by enforcer standards. He is listed at 6-1 and weighs 218 pounds. But he has technique and has trained with the likes of mixed martial arts star Chuck Liddell.

“It doesn’t matter how big you are,” he noted. “I throw with both hands. The bigger they are, the harder they fall. The first time I got called up [by Atlanta], I fought Bob Probert twice. After that, it was if you could fight Probert, you could fight anybody.

“I think it’s a great role. I’m looking forward to it here in Vancouver. I’m looking forward to playing in Canada.”

Originally drafted by the Thrashers 180th overall in 2000, Hordichuk has also suited up for the Phoenix Coyotes, Florida Panthers and Nashville Predators. The Canucks are his first team in the north and his first team in Canada since junior.

He is pumped.

“I’ve been in the south for a while so playing in Canada is something I haven’t done yet and it’s going to be exciting,” he predicted. “I wanted to come to Vancouver. From what I hear, it’s one of the best places to play. Now I have to show what I can do.”

Hordichuk, by the way, is of Ukrainian heritage so perogies and borscht and “all that great stuff” were among his food staples growing up.

His grandma makes sure he has plenty to eat when he visits during the summer.

“My grandma cooks and I put on about 10 pounds,” he said, smiling. “Then I have to lose it.”

That’s the only kind of losing Hordichuk hopes for as a Canuck.

Source: Elliott Pap – Vancouver Sun

The Carolina Hurricanes acquired the rights to left wing Darcy Hordichuk from the Nashville Predators on Thursday for a 2009 fifth-round draft pick. Read the rest of this entry »

David Singer of Hockeyfights.com, lists his Top 10 fighters of the season. Coming in at No. 10.

Darcy Hordichuk – One of few players who can seem quiet even when they have double digit fighting majors. Hordi did his job well this season, perfectly actually. 12 fighting majors, 60 penalty minutes. Not one PIM from a non-fighting penalty.

Full Top Ten

Darcy who is currently sidelined with a knee injury is expected to return as soon as Thursday. Hordichuk is expected to skate with the team when it returns home to practice on Wednesday, and he could be back in the lineup either at home on Thursday against St. Louis or in Chicago on Friday — the final game of regular season.

Predators forward Darcy Hordichuk suffered a sprained MCL in Friday’s win over Columbus and will miss at least the next two games.

Hordichuk was hurt when he took a big hit from Blue Jackets forward Jason Chimera, one that sent Hordichuk over the sideboards and into the Columbus bench.

Hordichuk flew back to Nashville from Detroit on Saturday.

Hordichuk played in his 300th NHL game against the Capitals on Tuesday. Unfortunately the Predators loss 4-2.

Nashville scrapper Darcy Hordichuk had to wait until the third period to accept Edmonton Oilers’ Zack Stortini’s invitation to fight earlier this week.

“I told him we’d go in the third because we were winning 3-0,” Hordichuk told the Tennessean.

Hordichuk said he was wary of changing the game’s momentum.

“But he kept chasing me down, trying to embarrass me in front of the crowd. I got no problem with a guy wanting to (fight), but there’s no need to keep slashing me. Finally I got the OK from the coaching staff (to fight).”

Hordichuk taunted Stortini from the penalty box after the scrap between the two. Hordichuk stumbled to his knees a couple of times, mimicking Stortini taking a hard punch from Hordichuk.