SUNRISE, FL – Florida Panthers General Manager Mike Keenan announced today that the club has traded LW Darcy Hordichuk to Nashville in exchange for the Predators’ fourth round draft choice (currently 103rd overall) in this weekend’s upcoming 2005 NHL Entry Draft in Ottawa.
Hordichuk, 24, appeared in 57 games for the Cats during the 2003-04 campaign accumulating 158 penalty minutes. For his career with the Panthers, he played in 60 contests recording four points (3-1-4) with 173 penalty minutes.
I predict y'all will love this guy! I hated it when he left the Thrashers. He's absolutely fearless and is one of the best fighters I've ever seen. He's also a much better skater and puckhandler than the typical enforcer. (admittedly, it's been a couple of years since I've seen much of him).
I echo that you guys will love him he has a ton of heart and almost all of his fights are toe to toe slugfests. definatly should spice up Blues Preds games.
My guess is this means the end for Jim McKenzie. Hordichuk not only is 11 years younger, but he also averaged 6:46 TOI in 57 games putting up 4 points and 158 PIM's. Those numbers are very comparable to McKenzie's 6:14 TOI in 61 GP, 4 points and 88 PIM's.
Guess Cam Severson didn't impress enough to make the jump from Milwaukee this season.
I predict y'all will love this guy! I hated it when he left the Thrashers. He's absolutely fearless and is one of the best fighters I've ever seen. He's also a much better skater and puckhandler than the typical enforcer. (admittedly, it's been a couple of years since I've seen much of him).
yep, exactly
I guess he became expendable with Cairns on the Panthers roster
From tsn.ca...
Assets: Is a non-stop energy guy shift after shift. Hits all that moves. Will take on all combatants and always protect his teammates.
Flaws: Needs to improve his overall game in order to gain regular employment in the NHL. Must show some discipline so as to earn more ice time.
Career potential: Fourth line enforcer.
From this and what everyone else is saying...I'm thinking he is a good fit...I've never seen him play that I can remember, but the thing I remember about him is that he grabbed a Penguin from the bench when he was playing for the Panthers and began punching him. I think it was while he was still with Atlanta?
In his first season as a pro, 2000-2001, Hordichuk led the International Hockey League in penalty minutes with the Orlando Solar Bears, while being coached by current Predators assistant coach Peter Horachek.
Here's his fight card from 2003/4. Includes the likes of Shelley, Worrell, Vandenbusshe....but certainly not all wins. Sounds like he fears no-one and really lets them fly when he gets going.
I watched the Worrel fight, and he pretty much won the fight. The kid IS fearless and is an unending motor, much like Tootoo. A fourth is a bit high, but at least he can skate (unlike Pylon Parker, and Worrel)......and if you can skate for the Predators than you will get ice time (granted, Trotz will make you work like a defensive slave....but still....).
Hordichuk is definitely an upgrade over McKenzie and Stevenson for the 4th line LW, but a 4th round pick seems a bit much.
After you watch him, and given the usual risk/return for a 4th round pick, I think you'll change your mind. As a rule, I hate goons - Hordi brings more to the table .The Tootoo comparison is a good one - I remember him as hitting everything that moved, more importantly, legally - elbows down, both skates on ice. As for him not being a 'heavyweight', don't worry.
panthers fan here...Hordy will be a Pred fan fav. As others have mentioned, he'll go with anybody and give 'em all they want. He absolutely smoked Worrell...I mean dropped him cold! He's a good skating pest/poop disturber. Normally a 4th rd pick might seem a bit much but I'll betcha you'll like the trade once the season comes. He shows up every night and brings plenty of character with him.
Since Hordi has enforcer as well as "pest" credentials....does anyone think that this may signal some time in Milwaukee this year for Tootoo to try to become a more "well rounded" player?
I don't know its hard to say. Hordichuk isn't the guy I wanted most. I don't question the entertainment factor. The guy is the most entertaining fighter in the NHL without question. However his lack of size and his style will leave him open for injury problems, but that goes with the job description too I guess. Plus he's all heart and he leaves everything out on the ice. I can live with that
Anyway We now have Stevenson, Tootoo, and Hordichuk under contract. We won't be pushed around.
i like this move..a young guy who can play defense and fight,even if you'll get zilch production from him....will be much more aggressive than mckenzie,would look for him to get normal pred 4th line shifts,6 odd minutes a game..has proved to be durable thruout his career,something that is a must for an enforcer....basically his job will be to cover tootoo's back in our system..and even though he won't frighten many,he's tough and has a tough rep and more importantly won't back down(from the 20-30 games i've probably seen of him in person and on center ice)
means mckenzie is gone of course....might mean yablonski is too,but would expect them to keep yablonski in milwaukee for another season to see if he can stay healthy and to be an emergency callup guy
makes stevenson more expendable,but would expect trotz to want to have stevenson for games where where the other team is softer and stevenson could provide more offense...so i would expect hordichuk to get 55-60 starts and stevenson the other 20-25 at lw on the 4th line
but he's only 215 lbs. when are we going to bring in a heavyweight? 
