Hordichuk does magic off the ice - Nashville, Tennessee - Monday, 01/22/07 - Tennessean.com
Hordichuk does magic off the ice
Fourth-liner has flair for dramatic
Teammates have a saying about Darcy Hordichuk: As a talented magician, he can make the puck disappear off the ice, but as a player he can't seem to make it reappear in the net.
No, the Predators' fourth-line bruiser is not known for his scoring prowess — he has only 12 goals in 231 NHL games — but when it comes to wowing a crowd with a few tricks, he certainly has the magic touch.
"If he was not playing hockey, he could definitely have a career in Vegas as a magician," said Bob Kohl, associate producer of Predators television broadcasts. "I would pay to go see him at the MGM Grand. He is amazing."
The "amazing" Hordichuk was first exposed to magic through a neighbor when he was a child. While the interest stirred, it didn't truly take hold until he began playing in the International Hockey League in 2000.
On road trips, Hordichuk would stop in magic shops, purchasing videos designed to teach tricks. He developed a repertoire and began entertaining friends and teammates at parties or on trips.
"I think anyone who has seen a magician gets excited," Hordichuk said. "My interest kind of stemmed from there. I ended up spending a lot of money that I made back in those days on card tricks. Now it's a lot of fun."