The Edmonton Oilers had a nightmare start to their 2023-24 season that they have since turned around, but their tough start has set them back and has them fighting their way up the Pacific Division standings rather than being at the top and dominating as many expected. With their recent resurgence that has them back in the playoff picture, all of the Oilers’ defensive play has taken a massive step forward, but none have them have been as noticeable as Vincent Desharnais.
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Desharnais, who is in his second full season as a member of the Oilers, had a rough start to his career with the team and was often ridiculed by fans and media for his lacklustre defensive play despite the strong physical play that earned him a spot in the NHL in the first place. He has come into the new season with a much calmer approach to the game and has been blocking more shots, making smarter pinches, and winning puck battles in the defensive zone all while being able to move the puck up the ice much more smoothly than he was able to last season.
With the Oilers having multiple defensemen who haven’t played well defensively but have tried to elevate their offensive game in Evan Bouchard, Darnell Nurse, and Mattias Ekholm, having Desharnais elevate his play in his end is ideal for the Oilers. He’s someone they can trust to play in defensive scenarios in a season where they have struggled to find consistency.
Desharnais’ Long Path to the NHL
Desharnais is a 27-year-old right-shot defenseman from Laval, Quebec. He stands 6-foot-6, weighs 216 pounds, and was drafted in the seventh round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft at 183rd overall by the Oilers after a solid showing in the NCAA with Providence College. He remained in the NCAA with Providence until the conclusion of the 2018-19 season and played a total of 131 games, scoring eight goals and adding 21 assists for 29 points and establishing himself as a physical all-defensive defenseman.
Desharnais got his first full taste of professional hockey in the 2020-21 season with the Bakersfield Condors of the American Hockey League (AHL) where he had 10 assists in 37 games. He split the previous season between the ECHL with the Wichita Thunder and the AHL with the Condors and never got a full season in the AHL under his belt until the 2021-22 season, where he played 66 games scoring five goals and adding 22 assists for 27 points.
Desharnais Has Improved From Rookie Season
In the 2022-23 season, Desharnais earned his first-career NHL call up and while he was able to hold his own, he was still clearly a step behind the NHL level and it was clear it was going to take him some time to get used to hockey’s highest level.
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This season, he has improved a lot and been fun to watch. He has been using his big body to win puck battles and throw more hits all while making smarter decisions at both ends of the ice. While he knows he’ll never be leaned on to produce offensively (he has one goal and three assists for four points), he has taken on the role of being a smarter defender and continues to be a big part of the Oilers’ blue-line depth this season.
The Oilers are back in action on Saturday (Dec. 16) in a battle against the Florida Panthers as they look to bounce back from a 7-4 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. After their eight-game winning streak was snapped, the Oilers are hoping they can start up a new winning streak and continue to climb their way up the Pacific Division standings.