Topic: Darcy Hordichuk

Darcy Hordichuk (born August 10, 1980, in Kamsack, Saskatchewan) is a Canadian professional hockey winger currently playing for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played for the Nashville Predators, Atlanta Thrashers, Phoenix Coyotes, and Florida Panthers.

After playing midget hockey with the Yorkton Mallers of the SMHL, Hordichuk joined the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League (WHL) for 3 games in the 1996-97 season. The next year would see Hordichuk playing with the Dauphin Kings of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL), a Junior 'A' league. In 58 games with the Kings, Hordichuk had 12 goals and 33 points, as well as 279 penalty minutes. He would spend the next two seasons in the WHL, playing with the Saskatoon Blades, where he had 515 penalty minutes in 129 games, including 73 fights.

At twenty-years-old, he was drafted in 2000 by the Atlanta Thrashers as the 180th overall pick in the 6th round. Hordichuk became well-known in the NHL for his physical play and fighting. Upon being drafted, he was assigned to the Thrashers' minor league affiliate, the Orlando Solar Bears of the International Hockey League (IHL). He completed his first professional season also appearing in 11 games for the Thrashers as a call-up. He secured a roster spot with the club in his second year, but was dealt at the trade deadline to the Phoenix Coyotes along with a fifth-round draft pick in 2002 in exchange for prospects Kirill Safronov and Ruslan Zainullin. The following season, he was then dealt to the Florida Panthers along with a second-round draft pick in exchange for defenceman Brad Ference. As he was swapped between teams in his first three seasons, Hordichuk played mostly in the minor leagues.