Darren Archibald

Darren Archibald
Born	(1990-02-09) February 9, 1990 Newmarket, Ontario, Canada
Occupation	Professional ice hockey forward
Years active	2007–present
Known for	Playing for Fehérvár AV19 in the ICE Hockey League; former NHL player with Vancouver Canucks and Ottawa Senators

Darren Archibald (born February 9, 1990) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward currently playing for Fehérvár AV19 in the ICE Hockey League (ICEHL). His junior career was spent in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Barrie Colts and Niagara IceDogs. Although undrafted, he secured a contract with the Vancouver Canucks as a free agent and participated across various levels within their system.

Amateur

Archibald's journey in junior hockey began after he was released from an OHL tryout camp. He spent a season competing in junior A hockey with the Stouffville Spirit of the OJHL, where he tallied 21 goals and totaled 47 points over 48 games. The next season saw him advance to the Barrie Colts in the OHL, where he contributed 25 goals and 49 points across 68 regular-season contests, adding seven points in five playoff appearances before Barrie's early exit in the first round.

Despite not being selected in the NHL Entry Draft prior to the 2009–10 OHL campaign, Archibald attended the Columbus Blue Jackets development camp as an unsigned free agent. That year, he achieved 26 goals and 59 points in 57 games for Barrie. During the playoffs, Barrie reached the OHL finals but were swept by the Windsor Spitfires, with Archibald recording five goals and ten points over 15 postseason games.

After once again going undrafted, he participated in the Detroit Red Wings conditioning prospect camp and tournament. Returning for his overage season in 2010–11, Archibald netted 18 goals in 24 games with Barrie before being traded to the Niagara IceDogs. Shortly thereafter, he signed his first NHL entry-level deal with Vancouver. While with Niagara, he added 23 goals and 36 points in 37 games. In the playoffs, Archibald scored four goals in the opening match against Brampton; Niagara progressed through two rounds before falling to Mississauga in the conference finals. He concluded postseason play with 10 goals and 14 points across 14 games and earned OHL Player of the Week honors following their second-round triumph.

Professional

Ahead of the 2011–12 NHL season, Archibald represented Vancouver at the 2011 Young Stars Tournament, leading his team with two goals and one assist. Although he attended Vancouver’s main training camp, he was assigned to their AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves. Archibald scored during Chicago’s season opener but went without points over his next 17 games, resulting in a demotion to the ECHL's Kalamazoo Wings. There, he posted nine goals and 30 points in 36 contests before being recalled to Chicago. After two scoreless AHL appearances, he returned to Kalamazoo to finish with 14 goals and 45 points in 49 games, topping all Wings rookies.

During the 2012–13 AHL season, increased roster depth caused by the NHL lockout kept Archibald starting with Kalamazoo. He amassed six goals and 14 points over 18 games before being recalled due to injuries and special teams issues on Chicago’s roster. He scored early upon his return and ranked third in team goals after eight games. Following a shortened Canucks training camp post-lockout, Archibald returned to Chicago where he completed the season with 12 goals and 22 points in 55 games. As Chicago missed postseason play, Vancouver summoned him as an emergency call-up. He subsequently re-signed a one-year, two-way contract worth $600,000 at the NHL level.

Beginning the 2013–14 NHL season, Archibald was assigned to Vancouver’s new AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets, tallying one goal and one assist over four games. Injuries on Vancouver’s roster led to his NHL debut on October 25, 2013, versus the St. Louis Blues, where he logged eight minutes on ice while registering two shots and a hit. His first NHL point came on November 2 with an assist against the Toronto Maple Leafs, after which he returned to Utica. He experienced brief NHL recalls again in January and March of 2014; during his third stint, Archibald scored his first NHL goal on March 8 against Calgary.

Although his NHL appearances remained limited, Archibald continued within Vancouver’s minor league system for several seasons. In the 2016–17 AHL season, he achieved a personal best of 47 points across 76 games and was honored as Utica Comets' Most Valuable Player. Following a strong preseason prior to the 2017–18 NHL season, Archibald was among final roster cuts but later signed an NHL contract on February 7, 2018, rejoining Vancouver’s lineup.

Archibald started the 2018–19 NHL season back with Utica after clearing waivers but was recalled due to injuries on Vancouver’s roster, appearing in nine NHL games and recording two points. On January 2, 2019, he was traded alongside Anders Nilsson to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Mike McKenna, Tom Pyatt, and a sixth-round draft pick. Upon arrival, he was immediately assigned to Ottawa's AHL affiliate, the Belleville Senators.

Following his tenure with Ottawa through that season's end, Archibald signed a one-year AHL contract with the Toronto Marlies on July 8, 2019. During the 2019–20 AHL season, he served as an alternate captain while contributing seven goals and twelve points over 34 games before being traded back to Belleville on February 19, 2020.

After concluding his North American career phase, Archibald moved overseas to compete with Austrian side Vienna Capitals of the ICE Hockey League before signing with Grizzlys Wolfsburg of Germany's Deutsche Eishockey Liga on June 2, 2021.

Career statistics

(2015–16 ECHL season) (Kalamazoo Wings) (ECHL) (6) (2) (0) (2) (0) (—) (—) (—) (—) (—) |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" (2015–16 AHL season) (Utica Comets) (AHL) (51) (10) (9) (19) (96) (1) (1) (0) (1) (0) |- (2016–17 AHL season) (Utica Comets) (AHL) (76) (23) (24) (47) (58) (—) (—) (—) (—) (—) |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" (2017–18 AHL season) (Utica Comets) (AHL) (25) (7) (9) (16) (15) (—) (—) (—) (—) (—) |- (2017–18 NHL season)(Vancouver Canucks)(NHL)(27)(4)(5)(9)(14)(—)(—)(—)(—)(—)|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" (2018–19 AHL season)(Utica Comets)(AHL)(23)(11)(5)(16)(19)(—)(—)(—)(—)(—)|- (2018–19 NHL season)(Vancouver Canucks)(NHL)(9)(1)(1)(2)(12)(—)(—)(—)(—)(—)|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" (2018–19 )(Belleville Senators)(AHL)(28)(8)(9)(17)(26)(—)(—)(—)(—)(—)|- (2018–19 )(Ottawa Senators)(NHL)(3)(0)(0)(0)(0)(—)(—)(—)(—)(—)|- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" (2019–20 AHL season )(Toronto Marlies )(AHL )(34 )(7 )(5 )(12 )(11 )( — )( — )( — )( — )( — ) |- (2019–20 )(Belleville Senators )(AHL )(9 )(4 )(4 )(8 )(2 )( — )( — )( — )( — )( — ) |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" (2020–21 ICE Hockey League season )(Vienna Capitals )(ICEHL )(15 )(2 )(14 )(16 )(2 )( 10 )( 2 )( 3 )( 5 )( 0 ) |- (2021–22 DEL season )(Grizzlys Wolfsburg )(DEL )(50 )(15 )(14 )(29 )(38 )( 6 )( 4 )( 2 )( 6 )( 32 ) |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" (2022–23 DEL season )(Grizzlys Wolfsburg )(DEL )(54 )(21 )(23 )(44 )(19 )( 14 )( 5 )( 6 )( 11 )( 8 ) |- (2023–24 DEL season )(Grizzlys Wolfsburg )(DEL )(49 )(19 )(13 )(32 )(36 )( 4 )( 1 )( 0 )( 1 )( 4 ) |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" (2024–25 DEL season )(Grizzlys Wolfsburg )(DEL )(43 )(15 )(10 )(25 )(24 )( —)( —)( —)( —)( —)|- bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2007–08	Stouffville Spirit	OPJHL		49	21	27	48	46		15	9	9	18	35
2008–09	Barrie Colts	OHL		68	25	24	49	35		5	4	3	7	2
2009–10	Barrie Colts	OHL		57	26	33	59	62		25	5	5	10	16
2010–11	Barrie Colts	OHL		24	18	12	30	21		—	—	—	—	—
2010–11	Niagara IceDogs	OHL		37	23	13	36	30		14	10	4	14	6
2011–12	Chicago Wolves	AHL		20	1	0	1	10		—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	Kalamazoo Wings	ECHL		49	14	31	45	59		14	2	4	6	21
(2012–13 AHL season)	(Chicago Wolves)	(AHL)		(55)	(12)	(10)	(22)	(47)		(—)	(—)	(—)	(—)	(—)
(2012–13 ECHL season)	(Kalamazoo Wings)	(ECHL)		(18)	(6)	(7)	(13)	(29)		(—)	(—)	(—)	(—)	(—)
(2013–14 AHL season)	(Utica Comets)	(AHL)		(59)	(10)	(12)	(22)	(102)		(—)	(—)	(—)	(—)	(—)
(2013–14 NHL season)	(Vancouver Canucks)	(NHL)		(16)	(1)	(2)	(3)	(0)		(—)	(—)	(—)	(—)	(—)
(2014–15 AHL season)	(Utica Comets)	(AHL)		(70)	(14)	(10)	(24)	(107)		(6)	(1)	(2)	(3)	(2)
NHL totals !55 !6 !8 !14 !26 !—				—	—	—	—