Daniel Carcillo

**Daniel Carcillo** (born on January 28, 1985 in King City, Ontario, Canada) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the NHL for the Phoenix Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers, Chicago Blackhawks and the Los Angeles Kings.

Carcillo was drafted 73rd overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins.

## Playing Career

After being drafted 73rd overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins, Daniel was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for Georges Laraque on February 27, 2007. During the 2007–08 regular season, he led the NHL with 324 penalty minutes.

On March 4, 2009, he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Scottie Upshall and a 2011 second-round draft pick. His first goal as a Flyer came in Game 4 of the first round of the 2009 Stanley Cup playoffs against Pittsburgh.

On July 1, 2011, Daniel signed a one-year contract with the Chicago Blackhawks. His 2011–12 season came to an early end on January 2, 2012, in a game between the Blackhawks and the Edmonton Oilers.

During that game, he was assessed a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for boarding and attempting to injure Oilers defenceman Tom Gilbert. Both Daniel and Gilbert were injured on the play and Daniel was suspended for seven games; however he tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee on the play and underwent surgery four days later, costing him the rest of the season.

On March 12, 2012, he signed a two-year contract extension with the Blackhawks through to the 2013–14 season. He won his first Stanley Cup with Chicago in 2013.

On July 16, 2013, Daniel was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for a conditional sixth-round draft pick. He was then traded to the New York Rangers on January 4, 2014 for a conditional seventh-round draft pick in 2014.

On May 23, 2014, he was automatically suspended ten games during the 2014 playoffs for using physical force against a linesman while being escorted to the penalty box. On June 3, 2014, his suspension on appeal was reduced from ten games to six by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.

On September 4, 2014, the Pittsburgh Penguins signed Daniel to a professional tryout contract in order to attend their 2014 training camp. He subsequently failed to make the team and was released.

On October 3, 2014, he was added to the Chicago Blackhawks' training camp roster. He agreed to a one-year, one-way contract at the league minimum of $550,000 for his second stint with the club.

On January 16, 2015, Daniel injured Winnipeg Jets' forward Mathieu Perreault while delivering a cross-check from behind after the play had been stopped.

Perreault left the game and the NHL's Department of Player Safety issued him a six-game suspension and a fine of $40,243.92 for the hit. The incident marked the twelfth time that he had been fined or suspended in nine NHL seasons.

The Blackhawks won the 2015 Stanley Cup; although Daniel did not make an appearance for the Blackhawks in the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs, his name was still engraved on the Stanley Cup. On September 17, 2015, he announced his retirement from professional hockey.

## Accolades

* Stanley Cup (Chicago Blackhawks): 2013 & 2015

## Personal Life

Daniel was the host of a music-focused 2011 radio program entitled The Bomb Shelter on WGN Radio 720 in Chicago. He has admitted to battling alcohol and substance abuse problems throughout his professional career.

Upon joining the Blackhawks, he became friends with Steve Montador, who was also trying to overcome a substance abuse problem. Montador helped Daniel battle his alcohol and substance dependencies, but was forced to leave the NHL after sustaining a concussion in 2012. He remained friends with Montador until the latter's unexpected death in 2015.

Montador's death deeply impacted Daniel, who was also recovering from a concussion. He called for the NHL community to play a larger role in the lives of former players that have suffered concussions.

After winning the Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2015, he retired from playing professional hockey and established the "Chapter 5 Foundation" (which is dedicated to helping players who are struggling with post-concussion syndrome, anxiety, or depression).

In November 2018, Daniel indicated that as a rookie of the 2002-03 Sarnia Sting, he and other rookies were subjected to several forms of severe hazing, which crossed over into physical and sexual assault. His accusations were corroborated by several other former Sting teammates, who joined him in a class-action lawsuit against the Canadian Hockey League in 2020.

He lives in Chicago, Illinois with his wife and three children.