Darren Veitch was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played as a defenseman in the National Hockey League (NHL) for ten seasons. He was born on August 25, 1960, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Veitch started his hockey career playing for the Victoria Cougars in the Western Hockey League (WHL) in the late 1970s. He was drafted by the Washington Capitals in the first round of the 1980 NHL Entry Draft, seventh overall.
Veitch made his NHL debut with the Capitals in the 1980-81 season, playing in 71 games and scoring 10 goals and 32 assists. He quickly established himself as a reliable defenseman with a strong offensive game. Veitch played for the Capitals for five seasons, from 1980 to 1985, and was one of the team's top defensemen during that time. He was known for his hard shot and his ability to move the puck up the ice.
In 1985, Veitch was traded to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for defenseman Greg Smith. He played for the Red Wings for two seasons, from 1985 to 1987, before being traded to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for defenseman Tim Watters. Veitch played for the Kings for three seasons, from 1987 to 1990, and was again one of the team's top defensemen during that time.
Veitch's final NHL season was in 1990-91, when he played for the Chicago Blackhawks. He played in 47 games that season, scoring two goals and 11 assists. Veitch retired from professional hockey after that season, having played in a total of 633 NHL games and scoring 57 goals and 223 assists.
After retiring from hockey, Veitch worked as a real estate agent in the Edmonton area. He also coached minor hockey and worked as a color commentator for Edmonton Oilers games on radio and television. In 2016, Veitch was inducted into the Victoria Sports Hall of Fame in recognition of his hockey career.
Overall, Darren Veitch had a successful NHL career, playing for four different teams and establishing himself as a reliable defenseman with a strong offensive game. He was known for his hard shot and his ability to move the puck up the ice, and was a key player for each of the teams he played for.
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