Darcy Rota was really getting it together a decade into his career. He was a 42 goal scorer with the Vancouver Canucks in 1982-83. The following year, he was on his way to another great season when a neck injury put an end to his National Hockey League career.
Rota missed out on a championship through his major junior and pro career. With the Edmonton Oil Kings, Darcy twice went to the Memorial Cup but came home without a prize. In 1981-82, he helped his hometown Canucks to a loss in the Stanley Cup finals to the mighty New York Islanders.
Darcy Rota – Junior
Rota played three years with the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL from 1970-71 to 1972-73. Over his three years, Darcy scored 167 and assisted on 149 for 316 points over 199 regular season games. In the playoffs, he added 49 points over 37 games.
In his first season with the Oil Kings, Edmonton won the WHL championship over the Flin Flon Bombers. In the Memorial Cup finals, the team was ousted by the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL.
Darcy Rota Collection
The following year, 1971-72, Darcy’s 51 goals placed him tied for eighth in the WHL with Lorne Henning of the New Westminster Bruins and he was named a Second Team All-Star. The Oil Kings participated in the first ever round robin format Memorial Cup tournament. Edmonton went 0-2 with losses to the Peterborough Petes and Cornwall Royals. Blair MacDonald and the Royals won the championship.
In his final year of junior, Rota led the WHL with 73 goals. He placed fourth in the league with 129 points, behind Tom Lysiak of the Medicine Hat Tigers, Dennis Sobchuk of the Regina Pats and Lanny McDonald of the Tigers. He finished eleven points ahead of Blaine Stoughton from the Flin Flon Bombers. Darcy was named a First Team All-Star.
There was no minor pro hockey for Darcy Rota. He jumped directly the National Hockey League for the 1973-74 season.
Darcy Rota – NHL
The Chicago Blackhawks made a first round pick of Rota at the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft, taking him 13th overall. Darcy was also selected by the Houston Aeros, ninth overall, in the 1973 WHA Amateur Draft.
Between 1973-74 and 1983-84, Rota played in 794 regular season National Hockey League games. Over that time, he scored 256 goals and assisted on 239 more for 495 points. In 60 playoff games, Darcy added 21 points. He appeared with the Blackhawks, Atlanta Flames and Vancouver Canucks.
In his rookie season with Chicago, 1973-74, Rota put up impressive first year numbers with 21 goals and 33 points over 74 games. He added three assists over eleven playoff games as the Blackhawks fell in the Stanley Cup semi-finals to the Boston Bruins.
Over his eleven seasons, Rota scored 20 or more goals in nine seasons. As mentioned, his top season came in 1982-83 with his hometown Roger Neilson coached Canucks. That year, he scored 42 goals in 73 goals playing on a line with Thomas Gradin and Stan Smyl.
The closest he came to a Stanley Cup championship came in 1981-82. He played in 17 playoff games as the Canucks reached the finals before bowing out to the Islanders. It was a rough playoff for Darcy, sitting 54 penalty minutes over his 17 games.
Traded twice over his NHL career, Rota was never alone. In March, 1979, he went from Chicago to Atlanta with Ivan Boldirev and Phil Russell for Greg Fox, Tom Lysiak, Harold Phillipoff, Rat Ribble and Miles Zaharko. In February, 1980, Darcy and Boldirev were off together to Vancouver with Don Lever and Brad Smith heading to Atlanta.
Darcy Rota – Rookie Card
The Darcy Rota rookie card appears as number 269 in the 1974-75 O-Pee-Chee set. He appears with the Chicago Blackhawks, after his first full season in the NHL.
Rota’s last card appears in the 1984-85 O-Pee-Chee and Topps sets. Darcy played his last hockey in 1983-84. His final card shows him with the Canucks.
Darcy Rota Career Stats
| Season | Team | Lge | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1970-71 | Edmonton Oil Kings | WCHL | 64 | 43 | 39 | 82 | 60 |
| 1971-72 | Edmonton Oil Kings | WCHL | 67 | 51 | 54 | 105 | 68 |
| 1972-73 | Edmonton Oil Kings | WCHL | 68 | 73 | 56 | 129 | 104 |
| 1973-74 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 74 | 21 | 12 | 33 | 58 |
| 1974-75 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 78 | 22 | 22 | 44 | 93 |
| 1975-76 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 79 | 20 | 17 | 37 | 73 |
| 1976-77 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 76 | 24 | 22 | 46 | 82 |
| 1977-78 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 78 | 17 | 20 | 37 | 67 |
| 1978-79 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 63 | 13 | 17 | 30 | 77 |
| 1978-79 | Atlanta Flames | NHL | 13 | 9 | 5 | 14 | 21 |
| 1979-80 | Atlanta Flames | NHL | 44 | 10 | 8 | 18 | 49 |
| 1979-80 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 26 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 29 |
| 1980-81 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 80 | 25 | 31 | 56 | 124 |
| 1981-82 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 51 | 20 | 20 | 40 | 139 |
| 1982-83 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 73 | 42 | 39 | 81 | 88 |
| 1983-84 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 59 | 28 | 20 | 48 | 73 |
| NHL Totals | 794 | 256 | 239 | 495 | 973 |