300+ games
Darby Llewellyn moves into second all time in games played by a Ranger
KITCHENER — Darby Llewellyn was getting anxious.
Three rounds had gone by in the Ontario Hockey League’s online entry draft five years back and the 15-year-old forward had yet to hear his name.
The Ann Arbor, Mich., native thought he might go to the nearby Plymouth Whalers after a successful minor midget season but it was the Kitchener Rangers that took him in the fourth round (71st overall).
“I thought I was going to go a lot higher,” he recalled. “I had already been up to the Kitchener area the year before working at a hockey camp so I knew where it was at least.”
Llewellyn has been a Blueshirt ever since.
He passed forward Richard Borgo to move into second all time in games played by a Ranger this past weekend in Flint. When he slips on his sweater Friday against the London Knights it’ll be his 287th contest.
Andre Benoit holds the franchise record at 324 games and Llewellyn can’t catch the rearguard during his fifth and final season in the OHL. But if Llewellyn plays out the string he will become just the second Rangers player to pass the 300-match mark.
“Nothing has really changed in five years,” he said. “Every day it’s the same routine since I was 16. I’m doing the same things, I just haven’t moved.”
Llewellyn has seen his share of linemates over the years.
Curtis Meighan was a staple for parts of three seasons while he also spent time alongside Eric Ming, Ryan MacInnis, Nick Magyar, Mason Kohn, Matia Marcantuoni, Brandon Robinson, Gustaf Franzen, Justin Bailey, Adam Mascherin and Jake Henderson among others. Many teammates left a mark. Former captain Ben Fanelli oozed character. Radek Faksa’s work ethic was unrivalled. And blueliner Ryan Murphy dished out advice.
“When I was 16 he showed me how to do the three drills that I still do after every practice,” said Llewellyn. “They’re forward drills and not something a defenceman would normally do.”
There have been several memorable moments.
There was his first OHL goal during his second game.
He beat Saginaw’s Jake Paterson — who would later become a teammate — in a 2-1 loss Oct. 6, 2012.
“I remember tipping it in,” said Llewellyn. “Fanelli shot it from the point. They thought everyone else on the ice scored before they said I got it.”
Two games later he dropped the gloves for the first time with Ottawa’s Daniel Walsh.
“That one hurt,” he said. “I remember getting pounded. He hit me and it wasn’t even hard but I thought it was dirty so I slashed him. I started to skate away and he said ‘you want to go?’ I turned and his gloves were off. I tried to switch but I didn’t know he was a lefty so that didn’t work out in my favour.”
In 2013, Llewellyn potted his only hat trick to date in a 5-3 win in Barrie. “On one of the goals, Frank (Hora) fell on top of the defenceman on a five-on-three. I was so pumped but everyone in the whole rink was screaming at me.”
Two years back he scored his first playoff goal against London’s Tyler Parsons but the Knights eliminated the Rangers in six games in the first round matchup.
About two weeks ago he had a four-point night in a dramatic come-from-behind victory over North Bay. The Rangers trailed by three goals in the third period before winning 5-4 in a shootout at the Aud.
“I didn’t even think I played that well,” he said.
Llewellyn has survived four trade deadlines and chuckles when asked if he thought he was ever on the block. “I won’t tell you that one.” He has served four coaches during his tenure. Current boss Jay McKee says he’s the kind of guy “that will go to the wall for you.” Ex-skipper Troy Smith praised his hockey sense and called him a “players’ coach.”
Llewellyn will remember his time in Kitchener with a smile. The only blemish, so far, has been a lack of playoff success. The Rangers beat Guelph during his rookie season but he was a healthy scratch for the series making last year’s first round win over Windsor his sole postseason triumph.
“I wish our teams would have went a little further,” he admits. “It’s the way it goes. I was a part of two pretty good hockey teams.”
The good news is that his journey in Kitchener isn’t over yet.
“We’re going to give whoever we play in the first round a really tough battle,” said Llewellyn.