Does a unit played via Thrill of the Hunt count toward the number of cards played in a turn for abilities that trigger on playing the second card?

Ruling: Yes. When Thrill of the Hunt resolves and instructs you to play a unit, that counts as playing a card for the turn. Whether abilities like Darius, Trifarian's "second card" trigger depends on the order.

Sequence:

• If Thrill of the Hunt is your first card: The spell resolves, you play the unit as your second card, and "second card" abilities trigger.
• If Thrill of the Hunt is your second card: The unit becomes your third card played, missing the "second card" window.

Nuances:

• The unit's triggered ability cannot resolve while Thrill of the Hunt is still executing, so it pends until afterward.
• Playing a card via a spell effect still counts toward your card-play count for the turn.