Many people told him to retire, sometimes himself, but Vincent Desharnais showed great perseverance and was rewarded with an opportunity to play his first game in the National Hockey League (NHL) on Wednesday night.
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At 26, the Quebec defenseman got his first taste of Bettman Circuit and looked good in the Edmonton Oilers’ 6-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks. In an interview with the Edmonton Sun newspaper on the eve of his debut, Desharnais shared all the emotions he felt upon learning he would be playing.
“It was a bit crazy, mentioning it to my parents was a big moment,” he said Wednesday. Going into the office and hearing from the coaching staff that I’d been called up was a great moment too. I’ve been waiting for this my whole life.”
The resident of Laval took an atypical route to reach his goal. He avoided the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League to study in British Columbia. With Providence College he then made the leap to the USA.
Desharnais was drafted in the seventh round back in 2016 at number 183. Rare are the hopefuls selected at this level who manage to reach the Bettman circuit.
“After ‘COVID season’ I realized I was closer than I thought. The first was hard; I only played six games [dans la Ligue américaine] and I also played 31 games in the ECHL. I’ve moved a lot and haven’t played much. It’s hard for confidence. You question yourself,” said the right-back.
The coach’s confidence
The lanky athlete has a special advantage: He is about 1.80 m tall. Desharnais was often told that he was too tall or that he didn’t have the speed to play in the pros. Instead, he preferred to close his ears and enjoy his sport.
“You have to believe in yourself and have fun. This is the best lesson I’ve learned in my three years on the job. […] If you’re not having fun, what’s the point?” he wondered.
Desharnais also has an ally of his choice in Jay Woodcroft. The Oilers head coach initially led him to the Bakersfield Condors. The two men won the Calder Cup together in 2021 and the trainer has always believed in his protégé’s talent.
“He’s a player who has continually improved,” said Woodcroft. He has something that cannot be learned or trained: he is 1.70 m tall. Anyone who can play with this size has a special advantage. But sometimes these players take a little longer to feel comfortable on a professional level.
Edmonton fielded seven defenders against the Ducks and Desharnais was shorthanded. Whether he’ll be back in uniform on Friday against the San Jose Sharks remains to be seen.