Darling: Signing extension with Hurricanes was 'no-brainer'
Once Scott Darling was dealt to the Carolina Hurricanes last week, he knew he'd be signing a contract extension with the club.
The former Chicago Blackhawks backup goalie - who could have become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 - inked a four-year, $16.6-million deal with the Hurricanes on Friday, which the 28-year-old said was an easy decision.
"Once we worked out the contract part, it was a no-brainer," Darling said, according to NHL.com's Brian Hedger.
Related: 3 teams that should attempt to acquire Ward with Darling now signed
The Hurricanes are just Darling's second NHL team after the goaltender debuted with Chicago in the 2014-15 campaign.
"I'm so proud to have played for the Blackhawks," Darling said. "I've loved the team since I was a little kid."
Darling credited Crawford for mental development. "... a lot of it was between the ears. I was lucky enough to learn from one of the best."
— Brian Hedger (@BrianHedger) May 6, 2017
Darling posted a .924 save percentage and a 2.38 goals-against average over 32 games this season - better than Chicago starter Corey Crawford in fewer games, and stronger numbers than both Cam Ward and Eddie Lack in Carolina, suggesting the Hurricanes and Darling may just be a perfect match.