PUBLICATION
Sam Walker
February 13, 2026 (11:17)
Photo credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Scott Darling is back with the Chicago Blackhawks family, and the Rockford IceHogs centennial celebration suddenly feels a lot more real.
It is a one-day return, but it hits home. Darling is set to come back to BMO Center on Sunday for fan autographs and in-game promos.
Rockford is framing it as part of the “Banner Years” tribute tied to the Blackhawks’ Centennial.
Darling spent time with the IceHogs in 2014-15 and again in 2020-21, making his final pro appearance in 2021.
His NHL run with Chicago lasted three seasons from 2014 to 2017.
That stretch included the 2015 Stanley Cup, when Darling delivered huge minutes between the pipes during that ride.
For anyone who watched that era closely, the memory is specific. He was calm, square, and stubbornly hard to beat when the game got messy.
The timing is fun, too, because Rockford needs good energy. The IceHogs sit at 17-26-2-2, and every home date feels like a reset button.
Scott Darling adds juice to the Rockford IceHogs
Blackhawks fans still talk about Darling like a cult hero, and yeah, this kind of homecoming lands right in the feels.
He is 37 now, drafted in 2007 in the sixth round by the Phoenix Coyotes.
His path was never clean or straight. Before he turned pro, he bounced through the NAHL and USHL, then played two NCAA seasons at Maine.
That’s why this Sunday works. It’s not just nostalgia; it’s a reminder that late bloomers can still matter.
“Former IceHogs and Blackhawks goaltender Scott Darling will sign autographs for fans before the game and participate in various in-game promotions this Sunday afternoon.”
Expect a long autograph line. Darling grew up a Blackhawks fan, and that connection always shows when he’s around the rink.
It won’t fix the standings, but it can lift a building. Sometimes that’s the spark a team needs before the next puck drop.
Previously on Chicago Hockey Insider
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Former Chicago Blackhawks goaltender officially returns to the organization
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