ECHL: An Interview With Adirondack Thunder Defenceman Darian Skeoch

Adirondack has recently gone out and added physicality to their roster, which has seemed to fill the missing piece that the Thunder have been missing as the team currently sits in the top spot of the North Division with a record of 16-7-2-1. One of the big names that they got via trade is Darian Skeoch from the Savannah Ghost Pirates. Skeoch, 26, grew up in New Liskeard, Ontario, and of course, being from Canada, that’s how he got introduced to hockey, “I am from a very small town in Northern Ontario, and hockey was the sort of the thing that everyone did there was not too many sports; some guys played baseball in the Summer, but hockey was very common in our town so I got right into it when I was three or four years old laced up the skates, and my dad definitely helped me progressed with all the opportunities” said the New Liskeard native.

Being from up North, he wouldn’t go the NCAA route but would go the route of the WHL despite being drafted in the OHL, “The Western League was a good opportunity for me; I was originally drafted to the OHL, but my dad was working out West in Calgary, and I went out there and saw the Western League style of play and thought it fit my game very well so worked so I moved out there started my career in Lethbridge then got traded to Vancouver and I loved it. It was exactly what I needed; I’ve never been a very offensive or skilled guy. It’s something I’ve always had to work hard on, and then after Major Junior, I thought I would get more out of pro if I went to school for a few years and try to get a degree and progress my game and then jump into pro once I feel more comfortable” said Skeoch.

In 2020, Skeoch made the jump to the ECHL and had since spent time with the Indy Fuel, Allen Americans, Savannah Ghost Pirates, and Adirondack Thunder, putting up three goals and 15 assists for 18 points, along with a whopping 348 penalty minutes in 137 games “It’s been awesome, I’ve been in great organizations, It was one of those things where I got an opportunity to sign a two-way with Henderson in Savannah, and then the Savannah thing wasn’t just working out, and they were struggling, and then I got traded here, and I couldn’t be more grateful for Pete picking me up, I’m very happy to be here” said Skeoch. When he first got the news that he was coming to Adirondack, he wasn’t exactly sure what to think and said he was on the fence about coming, I was down South, with very nice weather, and I heard I got traded, and I hadn’t heard anything about it, I reached out to a bunch of former players and then I talked to Pete quite a few time and after talking to him, and talking to everyone who loved it here and the atmosphere, I figured it would be a great spot for me”

The 6’4, 220lb defenceman said he is expecting the team to improve at home as they are only 7-5-2-1 at the Cool Insuring Arena compared to their 9-2 record on the road, “It’s so easy to feed off the energy, one big hit, a fight, you score a goal, anything the crowd gets into it, it’s easy to play here, I think moving forward, home games will definitely be our strong suit” when asked about the atmosphere of the Cool Insuring Arena.