Top 50 Canucks players of all time: #40 – Darcy Rota

Join us this summer as we count down the top 50 Vancouver Canucks players of all time! #40: Darcy Rota

Finishing out the 40s is a hometown legend in Darcy Rota. The British Columbia native was born in Vancouver but grew up in Prince George, where he played Bantam and Midget hockey, before moving to Edmonton to play junior hockey with the Oil Kings. 

Rota excelled at the junior hockey level, which led to him being selected 13th overall in the 1973 NHL Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks. He stepped into the Blackhawks lineup right away, scoring 21 goals and adding 12 assists in his rookie campaign for 33 points through 74 games that season.

During his time in Chicago, Rota scored over 20 goals in each of his first four seasons, developing into a gritty two-way player who made contributions all over the ice. During his sixth season with the Blackhawks, Rota was traded to the Atlanta Flames. The beginning of his time in Atlanta was very successful, finishing out the 1978-79 season with nine goals and five assists for 14 points in 13 games. However, Rota struggled the following season, only registering 18 points through 44 games, which led to him being moved to the Vancouver Canucks.

Rota’s first full season with the Canucks in 1980-81 was the best of his career to that point, scoring a career-high 25 goals and 31 assists for 56 points through 80 games. 

The following year, Rota would miss a large chunk of the season due to a knee injury. Yet, he was still a large contributor to the team’s first Stanley Cup final run in 1982, registering nine points through 17 playoff games. 

The 1982-83 season is when things really took off for Rota. Playing alongside Thomas Gradin and Stan Smyl, Rota led the way in goals (42) and points (81). This marked the best season of his career, playing with his hometown team.

In his final season in the NHL, Rota continued to excel, earning his first-ever spot in the NHL All-Star Game, but his season was cut short due to a serious neck injury he suffered in a game against the Los Angeles Kings. Rota did manage to return in time for the playoffs, but had to undergo spinal surgery during the summer of 1984. He did attempt to return to the team the following season. However, after a few practices, he made the decision to retire at 31 years old.

Following his NHL career, Rota was inducted into the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame. Though his time with the Canucks was cut short, he was a fan favourite, with Canucks fans coining the term “Rota Rooters”. Becoming a beloved Canucks legend, representing his hometown team with pride.

Our previously ranked top 50 Canucks of all time:

#50 – Curt Fraser
#49 – Dave Babych
#48 – Martin Gelinas
#47 – Chris Oddleifson
#46 – Jannik Hansen
#45 – Ivan Boldirev
#44 – Gary Smith
#43 – Jacob Markstrom
#42 – Orland Kurtenbach
#41 – Harold Snepsts