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Darren Banks

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Darren Banks
Born (1966-03-18) March 18, 1966 (age 58)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 216 lb (98 kg; 15 st 6 lb)
Position Left wing
Shot Left
Played for
NHL draft Undrafted
Playing career 1989–2005

Darren Alexander Banks (born March 18, 1966) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played in 20 NHL games with the Boston Bruins between 1992 and 1994, as well as extensively in the minor leagues and briefly in Europe during a career that lasted from 1989 to 2005. During his career he played predominantly as an enforcer.[1]

Career summary

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Banks began his collegiate career in 1986 with the Brock Badgers having previously played for the Leamington Flyers.[2] Banks played for the Badgers for three seasons, with his most productive season coming in his final year, registering 33 points in 26 games, along with 88 PIM.[2] During his time at Brock University, he majored in sociology.[3]

Upon leaving university, Banks turned professional and signed with the Knoxville Cherokees of the ECHL for the 1989–90 season. In his first season as a pro, Banks had his most productive season, registering 47 points in 52 games, whilst also accumulating 258 minutes in the penalty box.[2] His success in Tennessee caught the attention of the NHL's Calgary Flames, who signed him to a contract at the end of the ECHL season.[3][4] The Flames immediately sent him to their IHL affiliate team, the Salt Lake Golden Eagles,[4] for whom he played six games. During the season, Banks also played two games for the Fort Wayne Komets, also of the IHL.[2]

He returned to the Eagles for the 1990–91 season, playing exclusively for the team. He registered 16 points in 56 games, along with 286 PIM. The following season he again played with Salt Lake City, playing 55 games, tallying ten points and 303 PIM. The off-season saw Banks sign as a free agent for the Boston Bruins in time for the 1992–93 season.[5] Though he played primarily with Boston's farm team in Providence, Banks made his NHL debut on October 8, 1992 against the Hartford Whalers.[6] He made an impression on his debut; receiving a game misconduct penalty as a result of a fight with Scott Daniels in the 2nd period.[7][8] Over the course of the season, Banks went on to play an additional 15 games with Boston, and dressed 46 times for Providence. Banks remained in the Bruins system the following season, playing for Boston four times, and Providence 41 times.[2] During the season Banks suffered a separated shoulder, and upon returning from injury he played two games for Providence before separating his other shoulder; a situation which caused friction with Providence coach Mike O'Connell and culminated with Banks shooting a puck at O'Connell during practice. In the off-season O'Connell was promoted to Assistant General Manager of the Boston Bruins, resulting in Banks being released from the team.[9]

Banks scored exactly two NHL goals. Both came in the same game, an 8–2 Boston road victory over the San Jose sharks on October 15, 1992.

The 1994–95 season was a nomadic one for Banks, playing 32 games in the AHL for both the Adirondack Red Wings and Portland Pirates, as well as 2 games for IHL side Las Vegas Thunder under coach Chris McSorley,[3] before finishing the season with the Detroit Falcons of the CoHL after joining the team in February 1995.[10] Both Adirondack and the Falcons were farm teams of the Detroit Red Wings.[11] The following season, Banks predominantly played for the Falcons, playing 38 games registering 28 points and 290 PIM. In addition, he played six games for the Utica Blizzard, also of the CoHL, before returning to the Las Vegas Thunder towards the end of the season.[2] The 1996–97 season saw Banks play exclusively for the IHL's Detroit Vipers, where he scored 23 points in 64 games and also accrued a career-high 306 PIM. The Vipers had a strong season, finishing on top during the regular season, before being crowned Turner Cup champions by beating the Long Beach Ice Dogs in the playoff final.[12]

Banks began the 1997–98 season with the Québec Rafales also of the IHL, after being traded along with Jeff Parrott by the Vipers in exchange for Stan Drulia.[13] He played four games in Quebec, before moving to the San Antonio Dragons. His stay in Texas was also short, playing seven games, before returning to the Detroit Vipers with whom he finished the season. The Vipers had another extended playoff run, reaching the final which they ultimately lost to the Chicago Wolves.[12] He returned to the Vipers for the 1998-99 season playing 58 games and scoring 18 points whilst registering 296 PIM.

He travelled overseas for the first time in his career to play for the London Knights of the BISL for the 1999–00 season, reuniting with McSorley. He played 23 games in the capital before courting controversy. In January 2000, following the completion of a game against the Ayr Scottish Eagles, Banks fought Eagles player Cam Bristow and assaulted a match official.[14][15] As a result of his actions, Banks was suspended for 12 games and faced a £500 fine.[14] However, prior to the resultant suspension and fine being announced, Banks had left the UK and signed for the Port Huron Border Cats of the UHL. In Michigan he played 17 games, registering eight points and 12 PIM. The following year, Banks signed with the Knoxville Speed, also of the UHL. After 20 games with the Speed, he was traded back to Port Huron, for whom he played four games.[16] In addition with his time in the UHL, Banks also played eight games with WCHL side, Phoenix Mustangs.

Between 2001 and 2003 Banks did not play hockey, however, during the 2003-04 season he signed with the Jacksonville Barracudas of the WHA2, playing seven games, scoring three points and registering 25 PIM.[2] The following year, he played two games, with the Kansas City Outlaws of the UHL. Subsequently, Banks retired from professional hockey.

Roller hockey

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In addition to his ice hockey career, Banks also played professional roller hockey,[17] which took place in the ice hockey off-season. In the summer of 1995, Banks played for the Anaheim Bullfrogs of the Roller Hockey International league, and, despite initially being unable to stop in roller blades,[9] scored 21 points in 17 games, along with 86 PIM.[17] Banks returned to the Bullfrogs the following season, playing nine games with the team, before being traded to the Long Island Jawz in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick and future considerations in July 1996.[18]

Awards and achievements

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Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1986–87 Brock University CIAU 24 5 3 8 82 — — — — —
1987–88 Brock University CIAU 26 10 11 21 110 — — — — —
1988–89 Brock University CIAU 26 19 14 33 88 — — — — —
1989–90 Knoxville Cherokees ECHL 52 25 22 47 258 — — — — —
1989–90 Salt Lake Golden Eagles IHL 6 0 0 0 11 — — — — —
1989–90 Fort Wayne Komets IHL 2 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 10
1990–91 Salt Lake Golden Eagles IHL 56 9 7 16 286 3 0 1 1 6
1991–92 Salt Lake Golden Eagles IHL 55 5 5 10 303 — — — — —
1992–93 Boston Bruins NHL 16 2 1 3 64 — — — — —
1992–93 Providence Bruins AHL 43 9 5 14 199 1 0 0 0 0
1993–94 Boston Bruins NHL 4 0 1 1 9 — — — — —
1993–94 Providence Bruins AHL 41 6 3 9 189 — — — — —
1994–95 Adirondack Red Wings AHL 20 3 2 5 65 — — — — —
1994–95 Portland Pirates AHL 12 1 2 3 38 — — — — —
1994–95 Las Vegas Thunder IHL 2 0 0 0 19 — — — — —
1994–95 Detroit Falcons CoHL 22 9 10 19 51 12 3 5 8 59
1995–96 Detroit Falcons CoHL 38 11 17 28 290 — — — — —
1995–96 Utica Blizzard CoHL 6 1 2 3 22 — — — — —
1995–96 Las Vegas Thunder IHL 5 0 2 2 10 10 0 0 0 54
1996–97 Detroit Vipers IHL 64 10 13 23 306 20 4 5 9 40
1997–98 Québec Rafales IHL 4 0 1 1 9 — — — — —
1997–98 San Antonio Dragons IHL 7 0 0 0 6 — — — — —
1997–98 Detroit Vipers IHL 59 16 14 30 175 21 2 3 5 97
1998–99 Detroit Vipers IHL 58 6 12 18 296 3 0 0 0 35
1999–00 London Knights BISL 23 8 2 10 101 — — — — —
1999–00 Port Huron Border Cats UHL 17 3 5 8 12 — — — — —
2000–01 Knoxville Speed UHL 20 4 7 11 50 — — — — —
2000–01 Port Huron Border Cats UHL 4 0 0 0 4 — — — — —
2000–01 Phoenix Mustangs WCHL 8 0 1 1 36 — — — — —
2003–04 Jacksonville Barracudas WHA2 7 1 2 3 25 — — — — —
2004–05 Kansas City Outlaws UHL 2 0 0 0 2 — — — — —
IHL totals 318 46 55 101 1421 58 6 9 15 242
NHL totals 20 2 2 4 73 — — — — —

Roller Hockey

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1995 Anaheim Bullfrogs RHI 17 13 8 21 86 — — — — —
1996 Anaheim Bullfrogs RHI 9 1 4 5 46 — — — — —
1996 Long Island Jawz RHI 4 2 1 3 21 — — — — —
RHI totals 30 16 13 29 153 — — — — —

Post playing career

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As of November 2019, Banks works as an Executive casino host at The D Casino in Las Vegas and, upon its opening, will undertake the same role at Circa.[19] He formerly worked for CP Rail.[3]

Due to his time in the Detroit Red Wings system, he is a Red Wings Alumni member,[20] and has previously worked with the Detroit Hockey Association, and the Hockey in the Hood tournament started by Willie O'Ree, in an effort to introduce inner-city minority children to hockey.[21]

In November 2013, Banks was among the 10 players who launched a class action lawsuit against the NHL over head injuries and concussions, led by lawyer and former NFL player Mel Owens.[1] Over 200 former NHL players subsequently joined the suit.[22] As a result of his time playing hockey, Banks suffers from memory problems.[9]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Ten Former N.H.L. Players Sue League Over Head Injuries". The New York Times. November 25, 2013. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Darren Banks". EliteProspects.com. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d "Days of Thunder: Darren Banks & Las Vegas Expansion". The Hockey Writers. January 25, 2015. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Eagles add Left Winger to 26-man playoff roster". Deseret News. March 14, 1990. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  5. ^ "History of NHL Trades: Trades of 1992". NHL Trades History. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  6. ^ "Darren Banks Stats and News". NHL. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  7. ^ "Just call it his little miracle". Hartford Courant. September 16, 1995. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  8. ^ "Hartford Whalers at Boston Bruins Box Score - October 8, 1992". Hockey-reference.com. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  9. ^ a b c "From the NHL to professional roller hockey, Darren Banks collected friends and memories". The Athletic. February 20, 2019. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  10. ^ "Transactions". The New York Times. February 12, 1995. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  11. ^ "Detroit Red Wings Minor League Affiliate History". HockeyDB. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  12. ^ a b "Sunday Long Read: Forgotten Vipers rocked Detroit". NHL. March 8, 2015. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  13. ^ "The Leader-Post from Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada on August 6, 1997". Newspapers.com. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  14. ^ a b "Superleague Disciplinary Decisions". Sportcal. February 17, 2000. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  15. ^ "Sport digest". The Herald. February 18, 2000. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  16. ^ "AP GRID POLL - Football COLLEGE The Top 25". Post-Bulletin. January 4, 2001. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  17. ^ a b "Darren Banks (b.1966) Hockey Stats and Profile". HockeyDB. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  18. ^ "Bullfrogs' Stewart, Cook Overpower Oklahoma". Los Angeles Times. July 27, 1996. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  19. ^ "Friends With Benefits: Darren Banks". Las Vegas Magazine. November 1, 2019. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  20. ^ "Former NHLer expects VGK fall". GamingToday. October 3, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  21. ^ "In Play! Magazine". Las Vegas Magazine. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  22. ^ "Rick Vaive leaving NHL concussion lawsuit". USA Today. November 29, 2013. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
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