Darren McCarty was part of the Detroit Red Wings dynasty that won four Stanley Cups between 1997 and 2008. But when McCarty is asked to name his fondest Red Wings memory, he chooses something completely different.
Drafted 46th overall by the Red Wings in 1992, McCarty played a crucial role on the teams that won the Stanley Cup in 1997, 1998, 2002, and 2008.
Darren McCarty’s favorite Red Wings memory
While he never led the team in goals or assists, McCarty’s toughness and physical play were pivotal to the Red Wings’ success.
Despite winning four Stanley Cups with one of the greatest teams in NHL history, McCarty does not consider any of those championships his greatest Red Wings memory. Instead, his all-time favorite moment came on March 26, 1997.
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148 penalty minutes and 18 fighting majors
That date marks the peak of the fierce rivalry between the Red Wings and the Colorado Avalanche, in a legendary game known as “Fight Night at the Joe.” The game featured a staggering 148 penalty minutes and 18 fighting majors. Darren McCarty alone accounted for 11 penalty minutes, but he also scored the overtime game-winning goal in the Red Wings’ 6–5 victory.
The rivalry had intensified during the 1996 playoffs, when Claude Lemieux delivered a brutal hit on Kris Draper that broke Draper’s jaw, cheekbone, and orbital bone.
”It had to happen”
On March 26 the following year, McCarty exacted revenge on behalf of Draper by taking on Lemieux in a memorable fight. When the Red Wings later interviewed former players about their greatest all-time Red Wings moments, McCarty said the following:
“March 26, ’97. I’m big on history, so that had to happen. The fact that I got my hands on Lemieux and we won the game—that was the most important thing,” McCarty recalled.
You can watch the interview below.
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