Darren Boyko (born January 16, 1964) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Boyko is best known for a long and successful career in HIFK (Finland). He also played one-game stint in the NHL and the Elitserien. He played one game in the NHL for the Winnipeg Jets in 1989 and one game in Elitserien for Västra Frölunda HC in 1997.

Boyko was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. As a youth, he played in the 1977 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team from Saint Boniface, Winnipeg.

Boyko spent two highly productive years playing for the University of Toronto before turning pro. In his first year with U of T, with Mike Keenan as his coach, Boyko put up 33 goals and 84 points in just 40 games, then added another 17 points in just nine playoff games en route to a National Championship. The following year, he again scored 84 points for the Varsity Blues.

In '85-'86, he played four games for the Canadian National Team but spent the bulk of the year playing professionally in Finland. After three years with Helsinki, Boyko signed a deal with his hometown Winnipeg Jets.

Boyko had structured his deal to allow him to return to Finland if he didn't crack the Jets roster. While he made the team out of camp, he remained on the sidelines as a healthy scratch for over a month before finally drawing into a game versus the Boston Bruins. After his one-game audition, he returned to Finland and played seven more seasons with HIFK Helsinki.

In 2001, Boyko was inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame. In 2006, he became the second non-Finnish player, after Carl Brewer, to be inducted into the Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
1980–81St. Boniface SaintsMJHL48486811642
1981–82Winnipeg WarriorsWHL6535377214
1982–83Winnipeg WarriorsWHL724981130830220
1983–84University of TorontoCIAU40335184249710174
1984–85University of TorontoCIAU393153844221016
1985–86HIFKSM-l36182644881342
1985–86Canadian National TeamIntl41120
1986–87HIFKSM-l442213352451340
1987–88HIFKSM-l441440541661344
1988–89Winnipeg JetsNHL10000
1988–89Moncton HawksAHL1837102
1988–89HIFKSM-l341515301020000
1989–90HIFKSM-l421220323621012
1990–91HIFKSM-l421623392030334
1991–92HIFKSM-l441423371892350
1992–93HIFKSM-l47151631640000
1993–94HIFKSM-l481820381430000
1994–95HIFKSM-l481520352430000
1995–96HIFKSM-l4712203230
1996–97Berlin CapitalsDEL3241721840222
1996–97Västra FrölundaSWE10000
NHL totals10000
SM-l totals476171236407206456152112

Awards and achievements

See also

External links

  • Biographical information and career statistics from , or , or , or