Darcy Wakaluk

Darcy Wakaluk
Born (1966-03-14) March 14, 1966
Pincher Creek, Alberta, Canada
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight 180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb)
Position Goaltender
Caught Left
Played for Buffalo Sabres
Minnesota North Stars
Dallas Stars
Phoenix Coyotes
NHL Draft 144th overall, 1984
Buffalo Sabres
Playing career 1986–1997

Darcy Wakaluk (born March 14, 1966 in Pincher Creek, Alberta) is a Ukrainian-Canadian[1] former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League from 1988 to 1997.

Wakaluk grew up in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta, where he became lifelong best friends with fellow Ukrainian-Canadian and future fellow Rochester Americans/Buffalo Sabres player Doug Houda. There, he won the Alberta Provincial Midget 'B' Championship in 1981-82 with the Pincher Creek Oilers.

In Juniors, he played for the WHL's Kelowna Wings and Spokane Chiefs. After being drafted by the Buffalo Sabres, Wakaluk then spent part of 5 seasons with the Rochester Americans of the AHL, winning the Calder Cup Championship in his first year (1986–87) and reaching the Finals once again in 1989-90.

On December 6, 1987, Wakaluk became the first American Hockey League goaltender to score a goal when he shot the puck the length of the ice into an empty net in a game with Rochester against Utica. Two days later, Ron Hextall of the Philadelphia Flyers would accomplish the same feat becoming the first NHL goalie to score a goal, also shooting into an empty net. Darcy would go on to be inducted into the Rochester Americans Hall of Fame in 2012.

He was selected 144th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 7th round of the 1984 NHL Entry Draft and started playing for them in the 1988–89 season, where he appeared in six games. He played another 16 games (and 2 playoff contests) with Buffalo in 1990-91 until being traded to the Minnesota North Stars for Buffalo's 1991 8th round pick and future considerations on May 26, 1991.[2]

He played for the North Stars for two seasons, and subsequently the Dallas Stars, where, after taking over starting duties for Andy Moog at the beginning the 1994 playoffs, he swept the St. Louis Blues in Round One, winning the last-ever game at St. Louis Arena. In 1996, he was signed as a free agent by the Phoenix Coyotes, where he played his final season after a career-ending knee injury in a game vs Washington in January 1997 forced his retirement.

Since retiring Darcy has been a Goaltending Coach for 4 teams in the WHL and another in the AJHL. He spent 9 seasons as Goaltending Coach with the Calgary Hitmen, (where he won a WHL Championship in 2010 while coaching a young future NHL star netminder Martin Jones), previously with the Vancouver Giants, Crowsnest Pass Timberwolves, Kamloops Blazers, and most recently with the Lethbridge Hurricanes.[3][4] He lives in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta his wife Dawn and their four Children - Alex, Logan, Brock, & Tori.

Career statistics

Regular season

Season Team League GP W L T MIN GA SO GAA
1982–83 Pincher Creek Oilers AJHL 38       2280 116 0 3.05
1983–84 Kelowna Wings WHL 31 2 22 0 1555 163 0 6.29
1984–85 Kelowna Wings WHL 54 19 30 4 3094 244 0 4.73
1985–86 Spokane Chiefs WHL 47 21 22 1 2562 224 1 5.25
1986–87 Flint Spirits IHL 9              
1986–87 Rochester Americans AHL 11 2 2 0 545 26 0 2.86
1987–88 Rochester Americans AHL 55 27 16 3 2763 159 0 3.45
1988–89 Buffalo Sabres NHL 6 1 3 0 214 15 0 4.21
1988–89 Rochester Americans AHL 33 11 14 0 1566 97 1 3.72
1989–90 Rochester Americans AHL 56 31 16 4 3095 173 2 3.35
1990–91 Buffalo Sabres NHL 16 4 5 3 630 35 0 3.32
1990–91 Rochester Americans AHL 26 10 10 3 1363 68 4 2.99
1991–92 Minnesota North Stars NHL 36 13 19 1 1905 104 1 3.28
1991–92 Kalamazoo Wings IHL 1 1 0 0 60 7 0 7.00
1992–93 Minnesota North Stars NHL 29 10 12 5 1596 97 1 3.65
1993–94 Dallas Stars NHL 36 18 9 6 2000 88 3 2.64
1994–95 Dallas Stars NHL 15 4 8 0 754 40 2 3.18
1995–96 Dallas Stars NHL 37 9 16 5 1875 106 1 3.39
1996–97 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 16 8 3 1 789 39 1 2.99
NHL Totals 191 67 75 21 9756 524 9 3.22

Playoffs

Season Team League GP W L MIN GA SO GAA
1984–85 Kelowna Wings WHL 5 1 4 282 22 0 4.68
1985–86 Spokane Chiefs WHL 7 3 4 419 37 0 5.30
1986–87 Rochester Americans AHL 5 2 0 141 11 0 4.68
1987–88 Rochester Americans AHL 6 3 3 328 22 0 4.02
1989–90 Rochester Americans AHL 17 10 6 1001 50 0 3.01
1990–91 Buffalo Sabres NHL 2 0 1 37 2 0 3.24
1990–91 Rochester Americans AHL 9 6 3 544 30 0 3.31
1993–94 Dallas Stars NHL 5 4 1 307 15 0 2.93
1994–95 Dallas Stars NHL 1 0 0 20 1 0 3.00
NHL Totals 8 4 2 364 18 0 2.97

References

  1. ↑ Canadian people of Ukrainian descent: Wayne Gretzky, Roberta Bondar, Ray Hnatyshyn, Joe Shuster, Bronko Nagurski, Bernie Federko, Randy Bachman
  2. ↑ In Minnesota he teamed up with John Casey to share starting duties.
  3. ↑ http://www.hitmenhockey.com/page/hockey-operations-staff
  4. ↑ http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=68565
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