Scott Darling (born December 22, 1988) is an American former professional ice hockey goaltender. He previously played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Chicago Blackhawks and Carolina Hurricanes. Darling was selected by the Phoenix Coyotes in the sixth round, 153rd overall, of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

Darling won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Blackhawks in 2015, becoming the first Chicago-area native player to do so as a member of the Blackhawks.

Darling grew up in Chicago's southern suburb of Lemont, Illinois, and as a child idolized the Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Ed Belfour. He played minor ice hockey with the AA Vikings (Orland Park), AA Huskies (then Darien, now Romeoville) and AAA Team Illinois and Chicago Young Americans. He played in the 2002 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Chicago Young Americans. He attended Notre Dame College in Wilcox, Saskatchewan, in eighth grade and played AAA hockey for the Hounds. He attended Lemont High School.

Prior to turning professional, Darling attended the University of Maine, where he played two seasons of NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey with the Black Bears ice hockey team. At the University of Maine, he was involved in excessive partying and by his sophomore year was abusing alcohol. He frequently violated the school's code of conduct and was given three suspensions from the hockey team within a 16-month period, resulting in him being dropped.

After bouncing around for several years through various minor hockey leagues, his goaltender coach Brian Daccord said he was not permitted to play at his hockey school until he made a dedicated commitment to the gym. It was at this time, he lost nearly 40 pounds and gave up alcohol in 2011. Darling said even at the lowest point, after being cut from what might have been the worst team in organized hockey, he never forgot something his father told him about getting ahead: "It was kind of like his motto—'Saw the wood that's in front of you.' "

In the 2013–14 season, Darling enjoyed his most successful American Hockey League (AHL) season, earning 13 wins in 26 games with the Milwaukee Admirals.

On July 1, 2014, the Chicago Blackhawks signed Darling as a free agent to his first NHL contract on a one-year deal. Darling made his NHL debut on October 26, 2014, against the Ottawa Senators, making 32 saves in the 2–1 win. He became the first former Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) player to play in an NHL game. On November 1, 2014, it was announced Darling had been reassigned to the Blackhawks' AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs, following starting goaltender Corey Crawford's recovery from an undisclosed upper-body injury. However, Darling was recalled two weeks later, on November 15, 2014. On February 22, 2015, Darling was promoted from Rockford and placed onto Chicago's NHL roster, replacing Antti Raanta as the team's backup goaltender, who himself was demoted to Rockford. The Blackhawks also signed Darling to a two-year contract extension. On March 18, 2015, Darling recorded his first NHL shutout in a Blackhawks' 1–0 victory over the New York Rangers. On April 15, 2015, Darling recorded his first playoff win after replacing Crawford in net, making 42 saves, with the Blackhawks defeating the Nashville Predators 4–3 in double overtime. Darling set an NHL record in his debut for the longest relief appearance without allowing a goal (67:44), as well as the most saves in relief without allowing a goal (42). On June 15, 2015, Darling became the first Chicago-area native player to win a Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks.

On April 28, 2017, at the conclusion of the Blackhawks season in 2016–17, Darling's rights as a pending free agent were traded to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for the Ottawa Senators' original third-round pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. On May 6, 2017, Darling agreed to terms with the Hurricanes on a four-year contract. His first season with Carolina was underwhelming, as he recorded a 13–21–7 record with a 3.18 goals against average (GAA).^{[citation needed]}