Darren McCarty

At 52 years old, Darren McCarty has this physical status:

Darren Douglas McCarty (born April 1, 1972) is a retired professional ice hockey forward best known for his time with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL).

McCarty has been known more for his fists than his scoring skills, playing the role of the Red Wings enforcer for the majority of his career, winning the Stanley Cup four times in 1997, 1998, 2002, and 2008, the last of which occurred after resurrecting his career in the Red Wings minor league system. McCarty spent a majority of his childhood growing up in Leamington, Ontario, where he was playing for the Southpoint Capitals (OMHA) minor teams.

Personal life

In 1995, McCarty's father, Craig, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, an incurable bone marrow and blood disease. Darren McCarty founded the McCarty Cancer Foundation in 1997 to raise funds for scientific trials into a cure of this type of cancer.

He was part of an investigative journalism piece for WJB-TV Fox 2 News in Detroit, Michigan, in which a self-proclaimed masseuse fabricated family links to McCarty in an effort to attract more clientele from the local area even though practicing without a license.

McCarty, the lead singer of their hard rock band "Grinder," has been on hiatus due to the death of bass player James B. Anders from cardiomyopathy in the offseason.

McCarty appeared on the 2005 ESPN game show Teammates with his Red Wings teammate Brendan Shanahan.

Cheryl Griffin, Emerson, Avery, and Gracyn are four children with McCarty's first wife, Cheryl: Griffin, Emerson, Avery, and Gracyn.

Sheryl Sirmons, McCarty's long time girlfriend, was a long time member. He lives in Clawson, Michigan.

Triumph Books' autobiography, My Last Fight: The True Story of a Hockey Rock Star, was published on December 1, 2013.

McCarty is a supporter of marijuana's legalization. He cites cannabis with helping him beat his alcohol use.

McCarty now appears and fights for the pro wrestling firm ICW No Holds Barred. He was brought into contention with upcoming pro wrestlers Brandon Kirk and Kasey Kirk.

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Playing career

McCarty competed for the Belleville Bulls of the Ontario Hockey League from 1989 to 1992. McCarty, the team's captain, scored 55 goals and 72 assists in 65 games. He was named the best scoring right winger on the Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy.

McCarty was drafted in the 2nd round, 49th overall, by the Red Wings in 1992 NHL Entry Draft, and he total scored 26 points in his rookie season as the Wings captured the Central Division championship. McCarty scored a career-best 19 goals and 42 points in the Wings' first Stanley Cup in 42 years in 1996–97. In Game 4, McCarty scored the Cup-clinching goal. This goal, which was based on an inside-outside move by a Flyers' defenseman (Janne Niinimaa) and goalie (Ron Hextall), was named as one of the year's best goals.

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McCarty was a member of Detroit's legendary Grind Line from 1997-98, with center Kris Draper and winger Kirk Maltby, who were often matched up against the opponent's top offensive line.

On March 26, 1997, one of McCarty's most notable performances was when a massive brawl broke out between the Colorado Avalanche and the Red Wings. McCarty stunned Avalanche right winger Claude Lemieux with a blistering kick and Lemieux's continued punching Lemieux, while Lemieux's body was "turtled" to prevent injury. The fight was revenge for a knock lemieux took on Kris Draper in the previous years playoffs that resulted in significant injuries to Draper. The game was also regarded as what had broken the Red Wings' curse, as the Red Wings went on to win their first Stanley Cup in over 40 years. McCarty also scored the overtime winning goal, making it 6-5.

McCarty scored his first hat-trick in Game One of the Western Conference Finals against Patrick Roy of the Colorado Avalanche in the 2002 Stanley Cup Playoffs. McCarty scored four goals in the series, a career high. Detroit won the series and later won a third Stanley Cup in six years.

As the lockout cancelled the 2004-05 NHL season, after 11 seasons with the Red Wings, McCarty, and the team, we parted ways. The Red Wings sold McCarty's contract as a result of the recently introduced salary ceiling. On August 2, 2005, he began as a free agent for the Calgary Flames. During the regular season, he scored seven goals for the Flames. In Game 1 of the Flames' first round series against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, a game Calgary would lose in seven games. He scored the overtime winning goal. McCarty played in just 32 games in the 2006–07 season, and for the first time in his career, he did not win a single point.

McCarty had signed with the Flint Generals of the International Hockey League on December 31, 2007. Kris Draper, McCarty's former Grind Liner, who pushed McCarty to return to professional hockey, co-owned the GMs. McCarty made his home debut for the Generals on January 12, 2008, and he had one assist in the 4–3 victory. McCarty had three goals, two assists, and thirty penalty minutes in ten games with the GMs.

McCarty will sign a professional tryout deal with the Grand Rapids Griffins, according to the Grand Rapids Press on January 30, 2008. This was declared official on February 4, 2008. On his Griffins debut at Van Andel Arena, he tallied a hat trick and added an assist to propel Grand Rapids to a 6–3 victory over the Lake Erie Monsters.

McCarty was signed to the Red Wings on February 25, but he was called up on March 7. McCarty scored the opening goal in Game Two, a 4-2 victory over Nashville in the first round of the 2008 playoffs. McCarty's fourth championship with the Red Wings came in June 2008. In the offseason, McCarty agreed to a one-year deal with the Wings. He qualified to be on the cup for the fourth time because he was playing in the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals.

McCarty was placed on waivers by the Red Wings on November 18, knowing he would not be recalled. McCarty cleared waivers and remained with the team. McCarty was quickly recalled after being sent to Grand Rapids for one game. He appeared in 13 games in the 2008-2009 season, winning one goal and 25 penalty minutes. McCarty sustained a groin injury in late November, putting him on injured reserve. After being activated from the injured reserve list, the Detroit Red Wings reassigned McCarty to the Grand Rapids Griffins on February 24, 2009. He appeared in 19 games for the Griffins, scoring 5 goals and 6 assists while also collecting 21 penalty minutes. In ten games, McCarty scored three goals, 1 assist, and 8 penalty minutes. McCarty was recalled by the Red Wings and several other Griffins players on May 10 after the Griffins were ruled out of the playoffs by the Manitoba Moose.

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McCarty became an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2009. Ken Holland, the Red Wings' general manager, announced that the team will likely move beyond McCarty one week later.

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Awards

• 1992: Ontario Hockey League First All-Star Team
• 1992: Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy
• 1997, 1998, 2002, 2008: Won the Stanley Cup with the Red Wings
• 1998: ESPY Award NHL Play of the Year
• 2003 Named the winner of the NHL Foundation Player Award