Well, that is the word he uses to describe his style of play. Basically, Darling looks for every opportunity to bang bodies and get his opponents up against the boards.
The thing about ice hockey is, while it is a fast-paced game with a high skill factor, there is room for a bruiser.
If you can, you zap the strength of your opponent during the close exchanges up against the hoardings which border the rink.
Pushing, shoving and slamming into people - it is all part of the game. It looks brutal but the players are well protected with heavy pads and Darling likes that aspect of the sport.
Ice hockey has been a positive influence on Darling's life. Five years ago, he was starting to drift. He was struggling at school and lacked the discipline to keep going. He did not attend school often, he said.
''I had lost interest and just wasn't interested in what they were talking about.''
He stayed out of trouble, though, and ice hockey became his focus.
It gave him some structure, and later this year the automotive engineering student will travel to Canada to play for the Bradford Bulls in the Canadian junior ice hockey league.
It is a very exciting opportunity but more immediately, there is a final to look forward to this Saturday.
The Thunder will host the Canterbury Red Devils in the final of the New Zealand ice hockey league.
''There are a lot of nerves going around,'' Darling confessed.
No lack of confidence, though.
''I think we are going to win it, for sure,'' he said.
''We've got a good team. We've got a good environment and we play well together as a team.''
The Thunder is making its first appearance in the final and no team, apart from in the inaugural season, obviously, has won the final in its first attempt.
The Devils will be playing in their fifth final and will be trying to defend the title they won last year. They also won the title in 2009, so they have more big-game experience.
But the Thunder leads the head-to-head battle this season with three wins from four games.
Darling is in his first year with the Thunder and plays in the third line. He has scored two goals and contributed two assists.
He is still honing his skills at this level but has learnt a lot and is hoping his education will continue when he gets to Canada.
The regular season consists of 54 games there, so Darling is bound to return a changed player.
