Former NHL netminder turns to stand-up comedy in retirement

As much as I love hockey, there aren't a lot of player I can think of who would make great standup comedians. Some of them are funny, but it's not necessarily a type of humour that lends itself to that forum. One former NHL goalie, however, is giving it a serious try saying he's "as crazy now about doing comedy as I was about playing hockey."

Scott Darling played a total of 126 regular seasons games in the NHL before retiring in 2021. The 33-year-old told NHL.com that it wasn't really a pleasant experience at first.

"I got depressed when I retired. I was depressed for six months; I didn't know what to do with my life," said the former member of the Chicago Blackhawks and Carolina Hurricanes. "You live this regimented life for so long and then it's gone and you're like, 'What do I do, what do I do?' I had to figure out something to get me out of bed in the morning."

Despite saying teammates would describe him as quiet and reserved during his pro hockey career, Darling said he's coming out of his shell and getting up on stage.

"I never thought I'd actually do it but I was at the Laugh Factory in Chicago and this guy by the name of Ray Wisbrock went on and he was hilarious," Darling said. "My humor is very dark and true stories about my life and this guy had the same type of humor, an older guy and he recognized me in the lobby from playing for the Blackhawks. We became great friends and he said, 'Just open for me one time, and if you don't like it, I'll never ask you to do it again.' So I did it but I was so bad, but I loved it and loved the thrill of it."

"It honestly reminded me of the feeling of being in an NHL game, like that rush, you know?" he said. "I'm as crazy now about doing comedy as I was about playing hockey."

Darling, who grew up in Chicago, got his name on the Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks in 2015. He said he's been on the road all summer with comedian Ian Bagg and recently did a stretch of show in Raleigh, North Carolina, another city he played for.

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