Darren Reid was born May 8, 1983 in Lac La Biche, Alberta. The eighth round, 256th overall selection of the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, Reid is a graduate of the WHL's Medicine Hat Tigers.
Over the course of his three seasons in Medicine Hat, Reid registered 142 points (55-87-142) before going on to make his professional debut with the AHL's Springfield Falcons during the 2004-05 season. Reid continued to hone his skills in Spingfield during the 2005-06 season and his strong play earned him his first action with the parent club in Tampa.
In the summer of 2006, the Tampa Bay Lightning traded Reid to the Philadelphia Flyers for Daniel Corso.
