2001 - Darcy Tucker

Darcy Tucker

DARCY TUCKER grew up in the Endiang area and attended Byemoor Elementary School from 1979 to 1986. He completed junior high school in Endiang. Darcy played minor hockey in Byemoor and also Bantam hockey with the Castor Cougars. He won the scoring title for the Battle River Hockey League and also played in the Alberta Winter Games with the Castor Cougars, winning a silver medal.

Darcy went to Red Deer at the age of fifteen where he played for the Moose Chiefs Triple A Bantam team. In 1991 Darcy played in the Under 17 International Tournament in Ontario. He was chosen as the M.V.P. twice out of five games.

At the age of 16 Darcy joined the Western Hockey League. He played for the Kamloops Blazers for four years. The first year he won the Diamond in the Rough Award for the most promising Rookie. The Blazers were league champs in 1992, 1994 and 1995. Darcy was also a member of this team when they won the Memorial Cup in 1992, 1994 and 1995. Darcy is one of only three players to win this many Memorial Cups in its history. He is in third place on the Blazers all time scoring list. In 1994, Darcy was also chosen as the Player of the Year in the West pision of the W.H.L. He was picked for the Memorial All Star Team and for the Canadian Hockey League All Star Team in 1994 and 1995.

Darcy has won many awards during his career. He was a gold medal winner with the World Junior in 1995, the Chrysler Cup All Star Challenge winner for the C.H.L. in 1994 and 1995, and also won the W.H.L. playoff scoring title in 1994 and 1995.

In 1993, Darcy was drafted by the Fredericton Canadiens of the American Hockey League and won Rookie of the Year for the American Hockey League. From 1996 to 1998 he played for the Montreal Canadiens and then was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Darcy was the team leader in points while playing with the Lightning. Since February of 2000 Darcy has played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, wearing the #16 jersey.

Darcy has taken a keen interest in developing young hockey players. He taught hockey school while playing in Kamloops and also taught in Hanna for four years. In support of minor hockey in our area, Darcy has made numerous donations to local hockey tournaments. Darcy is a exemplary role model for the youth of our community and a deserving recipient of the Clearview Award of Merit.