Toronto, Ontario- Former GMHL forward Darren Archibald has signed a contract with the Toronto Marlies, the AHL affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Archibald joined the GMHL in the leagues inaugural season in 2006-2007 as a 15 year-old rookie, playing for the Richmond Hill Rams. Archibald scored the first goal in GMHL history for the Rams in a 6-0 victory over the King Wild. Archibald went on to be one of the best players on his team, and in the league, where he was 2^nd in overall scoring for the Rams, and 6^th overall in scoring for the entire league. Archibald put up 22 Goals 34 Assists for 56 Points for the Rams, putting up over a point-per a game as a 15 year old. Archibald’s time in the GMHL helped develop him and adjust him to the junior level, and with his impressive year, he was ready to advance to Major Juniors, moving on to the OHL.

Archibald went on to play for the Barrie Colts in the OHL, where he immediately made an impact for the Colts. Archibald put up 25 Goals 24 Assists for 49 Points in 68 Games Played for the Colts in his rookie year, which earned him the honours of making the OHL Second All-Rookie Team. Archibald continued his impressive performance in the OHL for the Colts the following two seasons as well putting up 44 Goals 45 Assists for 89 Points in only 89 Games Played. Archibald wasn’t just a force to reckon with on the ice for the Colts, but he proved to be a leader off the ice as well, earning the honours of Assistant Captain for the team. Overall in Archibald’s entire OHL career, he put up 92 Goals 82 Assists for 174 Points in 186 Games Played. Archibald proved that he was ready to take the next step in his career, and although he went undrafted in the NHL, he was determined to play professional hockey. In 2010-2011, Archibald singed a two-year deal with the Chicago Wolves of the AHL.

Archibald struggled his first year in the AHL, only scoring 1 Point in 20 Games for the Wolves, however, after being sent to the Wolves ECHL affiliate team, he found his groove at the professional level, putting up 14 Goals 31 Assists for 45 Points 49 Games Played. With an impressive year at the ECHL level under his belt, Archibald found some more stability at the AHL playing 55 Games with the Wolves the following season putting up 12 Goals 10 Assists for 22 Points. Archibald’s development in the ECHL and the AHL turned a lot of heads in the hockey world, and in particular, the Vancouver Canucks took notice, signing him to a two-way deal, making Archibald the first GMHL alumni to reach the NHL level.

Archibald split his time between the NHL and the AHL in 2013-2014, playing 16 Games for the Canucks earning 3 Points (1 Goal 2 Assists), and playing 59 Games for the Utica Comets, the Canucks AHL affiliate, earning 22 Points (10 Goals 12 Assists). The Canucks were impressed with Archibald’s play in the 2013-2014 Season, and kept him apart of their system for six years. In 2016-2017, Archibald received the honours of Assistant Captain for the Canucks AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets, which he held for the rest of his time with the Comets. Archibald found himself back in the NHL for the Canucks in the 2017-2018 season, playing 27 Games and posting 4 Goals 5 Assists for 9 Points. Overall, Archibald put up 64 Goals 64 Assists for 128 Points in 281 Games Played for the Utica Comets in the AHL, and 5 Goals 7 Assists for 12 Points in 43 Games Played for the Vancouver Canucks in the NHL. Archibald became an Unrestricted Free Agent last summer, but that didn’t last long and he has re-signed a two-way deal with the Canucks again, where he was appointed Assistant Captain for their AHL affiliate.

Before returning to Vancouver for their training camp, Archibald practiced with the GMHL’s Bradford Rattlers to get ready for the season. Archibald would then go on to split time between the Canucks and the Comets at the beginning of the year playing nine games with the Canucks and twenty-eight with the Comets. In October, he became the Utica Comets All-Time Leading Goal Scorer with 68 Goals for the team. In the middle of the year though, the Ottawa Senators acquired goaltender Anders Nilsson and Darren Archibald from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for goaltender Mike McKenna, forward Tom Pyatt, and Ottawa's sixth-round selection in the 2019 NHL draft. Archibald would play three games with the Senators before being sent down to their affiliate team where he would play the rest of the year.

Archibald has now signed a one-year deal with the Toronto Marlies, the affiliate team of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Calder Cup winners in 2018. While Archibald didn’t sign a two-way deal this season, he is hoping to become an impact player for the Marlies, and work his way back into the NHL.

Between the OHL, ECHL, AHL, and NHL, Archibald has played among the highest levels of hockey in the world that has seen players such as: Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin, the Sedin twins, and many others. Currently, he is apart of the Maple Leafs affiliate team which is the primary development program for the team, and has graduated players such as Travis Dermott, Jake Gardiner, Zach Hyman, Kasperi Kapanen, Andreas Johnsson, William Nylander, and Morgan Rielly. The GMHL is proud to see one of its alumni playing at these levels of hockey, and we wish Archibald continued success at the professional level.