"Obviously Scott could have waited until July 1, to see what other options he might have as an unrestricted free agent," said Francis. "But he believes in what we are trying to do here and we are thrilled that he is committing to the Hurricanes and to Raleigh."
Darling, 28, was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks on April 29 in exchange for Ottawa's third-round selection in the 2017 NHL Draft. Born in Newport News, VA, but raised in Lamont, IL, he went 18-5-5, with a 2.38 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage in 32 games played for Chicago in 2016-17. Darling recorded the decision in each of his career-high 27 starts (18-5-4) for the Blackhawks, with his lone non-start decision coming as an overtime loss on March 21 against Vancouver after he entered a 4-1 game just moments into the third period. Darling's .924 save percentage in 2016-17 ranked tied for fourth among all NHL goaltenders who started more than 25 games.
Darling (6'6", 232 lbs.) made his NHL debut with the Blackhawks on Oct. 26, 2015. In 75 career NHL games with Chicago, he has posted a 39-17-9 record, a 2.37 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage. In 2015, Darling went 3-1 in five opening-round playoff appearances against Nashville, helping the Blackhawks win their first-round series en route to their third Stanley Cup championship in six years. Originally drafted by the Coyotes in the sixth round, 153rd overall, in the 2007 NHL Draft, Darling played two seasons at the University of Maine before turning professional. Before making his NHL debut, he played games at nearly every North American professional level, including the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL), ECHL, Central Hockey League (CHL) and American Hockey League (AHL).
