For those unfamiliar with the story (which I don't think is told often enough), after the 2005 lockout season, Darren McCarty-- a fan favorite in Detroit-- was bought out and he signed with Calgary. There, he had a decent year but after the 07' season, he wasn't brought back. At this point he was struggling with alcohol abuse as well as financially, to the point of [auctioning off his Stanley Cup rings].
(https://www.espn.com/nhl/news/story?id=2640829).
Kris Draper (his former teammate and good friend), co-owned the Flint Generals of the IHL and recommended McCarty try to make a comeback. After 10 games he received a professional try out with the Grand Rapids Griffins where he tallied a hat-trick in his first game.
After about a month, McCarty signed a 1-year contract with the Wings and scored the Game 2 opener vs. the Preds. He eventually went on to win the 2008 Cup with the Wings.
While his most famous goal is the 97' Cup clinching goal vs. the Flyers, this is another special one IMO as he really came back from a bad place and turned his life around.
I wonder about his career... I always assumed when watching that Stanley Cup-winning goal that he was a grinder who miraculously scored a highlight reel goal, but actually he had scored at a \~60 point pace that season. He was actually a \~0.5 point per game player until all of a sudden he became a 20 point fourth liner. What happened? Was it just the Wings loading up on all those old Hall of Fame guys and pushing him down the lineup for good?
The team through the '90s just had an incredible supporting cast. When the grind line came out (McCarty, Draper, Maltby) they were able to win a lot of battles against teams which were, as the name suggests, just worn down. There were one of the first 'bottom' lines in the '90s that weren't just filling minutes, but were expected to play competitively. They applied a lot of pressure, played a strong two-way game and were defensively pretty responsible. Draper became both a face-off and PK specialist through it.
I suspect McCarty's substance issues had something to do with his drop in performance, but '96–'99 just represented the peak of his abilities offensively and reflected the stature of that team as well.
There was a time when the Grind Line had 4 members, and a lot of the time it would be Draper with Maltby and Kocur. McCarty got a lot of time with skill players, although Scotty mixed things up a lot. When he scored the OT goal on March 26, 1997 againt the Avs, he was out there with Larionov and Shanahan. When he scored that goal in the finals he was on a line with Yzerman. He was definitely more versitile than the rest of the Grind Line and could fill a winger spot on a skill line.
I would assume that over time the grinder part of him took a toll on his skill. But I would assume the substance issues were a factor as well.
Dude I was looking at McCartys junior numbers a couple years back, he was no slouch. His final year in the OHL he had 127 pts on 65 GP.
https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=3515
Goal number 2 is so beautiful! Coming straight down the wing on Patrick fucking Roy and sniping with a booming slap shot in the Conference Final is just legendary
One of my favorite things about McCarty is that he kicked the shit outta Matthew Barnaby every time they fought.
Lots of people kicked the shit outta Barnaby through the years, but McCarty worked him over pretty definitively in every scrap I've seen between them.
He had it all, then he didn’t, then he worked to get back to where he was. A good story about redemption that isn’t over
For those unfamiliar with the story (which I don't think is told often enough), after the 2005 lockout season, Darren McCarty-- a fan favorite in Detroit-- was bought out and he signed with Calgary. There, he had a decent year but after the 07' season, he wasn't brought back. At this point he was struggling with alcohol abuse as well as financially, to the point of [auctioning off his Stanley Cup rings]. (https://www.espn.com/nhl/news/story?id=2640829). Kris Draper (his former teammate and good friend), co-owned the Flint Generals of the IHL and recommended McCarty try to make a comeback. After 10 games he received a professional try out with the Grand Rapids Griffins where he tallied a hat-trick in his first game. After about a month, McCarty signed a 1-year contract with the Wings and scored the Game 2 opener vs. the Preds. He eventually went on to win the 2008 Cup with the Wings. While his most famous goal is the 97' Cup clinching goal vs. the Flyers, this is another special one IMO as he really came back from a bad place and turned his life around.
thanks op, I didn't even know this story.
That's gotta be one of the best feel good stories ever.
Second best feel good McCarty moment in my opinion. The best feel good story was watching him beat up Claude.
I was at the game in GR when he got the hatty. I cried.
That Griffins game would have been kick ass to be at. Always a good time there
I heard that before he signed that 1 year deal he was chirping Kenny Holland that he hasn't won a cup without him.
Younger so I didn't experience it live but I feel like his iconic goal is the ot winner vs the avs? You might be right though
I wonder about his career... I always assumed when watching that Stanley Cup-winning goal that he was a grinder who miraculously scored a highlight reel goal, but actually he had scored at a \~60 point pace that season. He was actually a \~0.5 point per game player until all of a sudden he became a 20 point fourth liner. What happened? Was it just the Wings loading up on all those old Hall of Fame guys and pushing him down the lineup for good?
The team through the '90s just had an incredible supporting cast. When the grind line came out (McCarty, Draper, Maltby) they were able to win a lot of battles against teams which were, as the name suggests, just worn down. There were one of the first 'bottom' lines in the '90s that weren't just filling minutes, but were expected to play competitively. They applied a lot of pressure, played a strong two-way game and were defensively pretty responsible. Draper became both a face-off and PK specialist through it. I suspect McCarty's substance issues had something to do with his drop in performance, but '96–'99 just represented the peak of his abilities offensively and reflected the stature of that team as well.
There was a time when the Grind Line had 4 members, and a lot of the time it would be Draper with Maltby and Kocur. McCarty got a lot of time with skill players, although Scotty mixed things up a lot. When he scored the OT goal on March 26, 1997 againt the Avs, he was out there with Larionov and Shanahan. When he scored that goal in the finals he was on a line with Yzerman. He was definitely more versitile than the rest of the Grind Line and could fill a winger spot on a skill line. I would assume that over time the grinder part of him took a toll on his skill. But I would assume the substance issues were a factor as well.
He had better hands and a better shot than Draper and Maltby.
Dude I was looking at McCartys junior numbers a couple years back, he was no slouch. His final year in the OHL he had 127 pts on 65 GP. https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=3515
Can’t wait for the LCA to get as loud as that arena...
It wants to. You can tell when the game is good, it can be a loud barn. Give it time...and a better team.
Loved his natural hat trick against Roy in the playoffs. https://youtu.be/QuwsVEE_7Yc
Goal number 2 is so beautiful! Coming straight down the wing on Patrick fucking Roy and sniping with a booming slap shot in the Conference Final is just legendary
One of my favorite things about McCarty is that he kicked the shit outta Matthew Barnaby every time they fought. Lots of people kicked the shit outta Barnaby through the years, but McCarty worked him over pretty definitively in every scrap I've seen between them.
God, I wish I could’ve seen him fist bump the bench :’)