Cédrick Desjardins Explained

Played For:Tampa Bay Lightning
Position:Goaltender
Catches:Left
Height Ft:6
Height In:0
Weight Lb:192
Birth Date:30 September 1985
Birth Place:Edmundston, New Brunswick, Canada
Draft:Undrafted
Career Start:2006
Career End:2020

Cédrick Desjardins (born September 30, 1985) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played with the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Playing career

Juniors

Cédrick Desjardins (nicknamed Cédrick the Entertainer)[1] was drafted in 2002 by the Rimouski Océanic in the QMJHL, 200th overall. He started his career in the QMJHL in 2002–03 with the Rimouski Océanic. He had 1 win in 23 games.

In the 2004–05 QMJHL season, he became the number one goalie on the team, leading the Océanic, along with the forward Sidney Crosby, to the Memorial Cup final, where they lost 4–0 to the London Knights.

In the off-season, Desjardins was traded to the Quebec Remparts. Undrafted and as a 20-year-old player that meant it was his last year in the QMJHL. In the QMJHL finals against the Moncton Wildcats, they lost the series 4–2, but they went to the Memorial Cup tournament because Moncton was the host team. In the Memorial Cup finals against the Wildcats, Desjardins stopped 46 of 48 shots on the way to a 6–2 win and the 2006 Memorial Cup. He also won the Hap Emms Memorial Trophy as the most valuable goaltender at the tournament.

Professional

In 2006, Desjardins was invited to the Chicago Blackhawks training camp before signing a two-year contract with the Hamilton Bulldogs of the American Hockey League on July 26, 2006. For the 2006–07 season on October 11, 2006, the Bulldogs assigned Desjardins to the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL in which after his first week as a professional he was named the ECHL's "Reebok" player of the week.[2] He was re-called to the Hamilton Bulldogs on December 5, 2007, when Jaroslav Halak was called up to the NHL's Montreal Canadiens. He was again called up on February 26, 2008, following Montreal's trade of Cristobal Huet.

In the ensuing 2007–08 season Desjardins played a further 12 games with the Bulldogs but primarily helped the Cyclones win the 2008 ECHL Kelly Cup Championship, and for his efforts won the Kelly Cup Playoffs MVP Award.

During the 2009–10 season, Desjardins had a stellar year with the Hamilton Bulldogs. He played in 47 games and had an astounding 29-9-4 record with 6 shutouts and leading the league with a 2.00 Goals against average to win the Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award.[3] Desjardins also appeared in the AHL All-Star Game in which he was named the top goaltender in the skills competition and at season's end he earned selection to the AHL Second All-Star Team.[4]

On July 20, 2010, Desjardins re-signed to a one-year contract with the Canadiens.[5] However, on August 16, 2010, he was traded by the Canadiens to the Tampa Bay Lightning for Karri Rämö.[6] On December 30, 2010, he started his first NHL game, playing against the Canadiens. He recorded a win, stopping 27 of 28 shots for a 4-1 Lightning victory.[7]

On July 8, 2011, Desjardins signed a one-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche.[8] After starting the 2011–12 season injured from off-season shoulder surgery, Desjardins was assigned to affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters, upon recovery.[9] Throughout the season Desjardins was plagued by injury, however in 32 games with the Monsters, Desjardins set Monsters season records in save percentage and goals against average, while also selected as Lake Erie's lone All-Star representative in the 2012 AHL All-Star game.[10] On February 16, Desjardins was briefly recalled by Colorado to serve as the backup goalie in place of the injured Jean-Sébastien Giguère, however never played with the Avalanche.[11]

On July 1, 2012, Desjardins signed a one-year, two-way contract to return to his original NHL team, the Montreal Canadiens.[12] Reassigned to his familiar stomping grounds in Hamilton to start the 2012–13 season, Desjardins suffered from injury and registered only 7 wins in 22 games for the cellar dwelling Bulldogs.[13]

On February 14, 2013, Desjardins again retraced his footsteps when he was traded from the Canadiens to the Tampa Bay Lightning for a second time in exchange for another goalie, Dustin Tokarski.[14]

On July 1, 2014, Desjardins left the Lightning organization for a second time and signed a two-year two-way contract with the New York Rangers.[15]

On December 26, 2014, while playing for the New York Rangers AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolfpack, he tore his ACL, ending his season. On December 8, 2015, almost a full year after sustaining his injury, Desjardins was cleared to play and assigned to begin his 2015-16 campaign with the Manchester Monarchs of the ECHL to begin his comeback from rehabilitation.

Career statistics

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGP W L T OTL MIN GA SV%GP W L MIN GA SO GAA SV%
2002–03Rimouski OcéanicQMJHL23 1 19 0 1239 109 0 5.28 .870
2003–04Rimouski OcéanicQMJHL20 8 11 0 1119 72 0 3.86 .9011 0 0 14 0 0 0.00 1.000
2004–05Rimouski OcéanicQMJHL44 30 7 4 2439 120 2 2.95 .90913 12 1 767 34 1 2.66 .926
2005–06Quebec RempartsQMJHL41 28 10 0 2254 111 5 2.95 .90623 14 9 1413 60 1 2.55 .927
2006–07Cincinnati CyclonesECHL44 24 19 1 2648 112 4 2.54 .91710 6 4 595 28 2 2.82 .913
2006–07Hamilton BulldogsAHL3 0 2 0 142 7 0 2.96 .879
2007–08Cincinnati CyclonesECHL22 16 4 2 1285 41 5 1.92 .93416 11 4 947 29 1 1.84 .939
2007–08Hamilton BulldogsAHL12 4 3 2 572 29 0 3.04 .909
2008–09Hamilton BulldogsAHL30 16 12 0 1718 73 4 2.55 .919
2009–10Hamilton BulldogsAHL47 29 9 4 2576 86 6 2.00 .91910 6 4 596 26 1 2.62 .902
2010–11Norfolk AdmiralsAHL24 15 6 1 1391 60 1 2.59 .905
2010–11Tampa Bay LightningNHL2 2 0 0 120 2 0 1.00 .968
2011–12Lake Erie MonstersAHL32 16 11 5 1936 68 3 2.11 .932
2012–13Hamilton BulldogsAHL22 7 13 2 1285 63 2 2.94 .905
2012–13Syracuse CrunchAHL 14 8 5 1 851 30 32.12 .918 18 13 5 1098 42 3 2.30 .908
2012–13Tampa Bay LightningNHL3 0 3 0 160 8 0 3.00 .890
2013–14Syracuse CrunchAHL35 9 18 4 1984 93 2 2.81 .900
2013–14Tampa Bay LightningNHL1 0 1 0 18 2 0 6.67 .846
2014–15Hartford Wolf PackAHL15 8 3 1 800 35 1 2.63 .910
2015–16Manchester MonarchsECHL5 2 2 0 242 11 0 2.73 .901
2015–16Indy FuelECHL1 1 0 0 48 2 0 2.52 .931
2016–17 LNAH season2016–17Jonquière MarquisLNAH17 977 41 0 2.52 .90415 2.19 .917
2017–18 LNAH season2017–18Jonquière MarquisLNAH28 1564 81 0 3.11 .9015 2.01 .922
2018–19 LNAH season2018–19Jonquière MarquisLNAH29 17 12 0 3.57 .90321 9 12 3.46 .905
2019–20 LNAH season2019–20Jonquière MarquisLNAH27 10 16 0 1485 98 0 3.96 .885
NHL totals6 2 4 0 298 12 0 2.41 .920

Awards and honours

AwardYear
CHL
QMJHL Champion2004–05
Memorial Cup Champion2005–06
Memorial Cup All-Star Team2005–06
Memorial Cup Hap Emms Memorial Trophy2005–06[16]
ECHL
Kelly Cup Champion2007–08
Kelly Cup Playoffs MVP2007–08[17]
AHL
Second All-Star Team2009–10
Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award2009–10

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Cedrick the Competitor . . 2009-08-04 . 2010-08-16.
  2. Web site: Interview with Cedrick Desjardins . Everythinghockey.blogspot.com . 2007-12-08 . 2008-01-02.
  3. Web site: Bulldogs Desjardins, Sanford win Harry "Hap" Holmes Award . . 2010-04-10 . 2010-08-16 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110723025254/http://www.hamiltonbulldogs.com/article/bulldogs-desjardins-sanford-win-harry-hap-holmes-award . July 23, 2011 . mdy .
  4. Web site: First and Second All-Star teams unveiled . . 2010-04-01 . 2010-08-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100404070522/http://theahl.com/2009-10-first-and-second-all-star-teams-unveiled-p141811# . April 4, 2010 . dead . mdy-all .
  5. Web site: Habs sign Cédrick Desjardins . . 2010-07-20 . 2010-08-16 .
  6. Web site: Canadiens, Lightning swap goaltenders . . 2010-08-16 . 2010-08-16.
  7. Web site: Lightning win 4-1 iver Canadiens . . 2010-12-10 . 2010-12-10.
  8. Web site: Avalanche signs Desjardins, Brophey . . 2011-07-08 . 2011-07-08.
  9. News: Lake Erie goalie Cedrick Desjardins patiently healing from injury: Monsters Insider . . 2012-01-05 . 2012-01-05.
  10. Web site: Desjardins named to AHL All-Star Classic roster . . 2012-01-04 . 2012-01-04.
  11. Web site: Roster Moves (Feb 16) . . 2012-02-16 . 2012-02-16.
  12. Web site: Canadiens sign free agent goaltender Cedrick Desjardins . . 2012-07-01 . 2012-07-01.
  13. Web site: Cedrick Desjardins Montreal Canadiens / Hamilton Bulldogs Mask. David. Hutchison. InGoal Magazine. October 14, 2012. November 18, 2014.
  14. Web site: Habs acquire Tokarski from Lightning for Desjardins . . 2013-02-14 . 2013-02-14.
  15. Web site: Rangers agree to terms with Cedrick Desjardins . . 2014-07-01 . 2014-07-01.
  16. Web site: The Quebec Remparts win the Memorial Cup . . 2006-05-29 . 2010-08-16.
  17. Web site: Cyclones close record season with Kelly Cup . . 2008-06-06 . 2010-08-16 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090108094702/http://www.echl.com/cgi-bin/mpublic.cgi?action=show_news&cat=1&id=15464 . January 8, 2009 .