| Vincent Desharnais | |
| Position: | Defence |
| Shoots: | Right |
| Height Ft: | 6 |
| Height In: | 7 |
| Weight Lb: | 226 |
| League: | NHL |
| Team: | Vancouver Canucks |
| Former Teams: | Edmonton Oilers |
| Birth Date: | 29 May 1996 |
| Birth Place: | Laval, Quebec, Canada |
| Career Start: | 2019 |
| Draft: | 183rd overall |
| Draft Year: | 2016 |
| Draft Team: | Edmonton Oilers |
Vincent Desharnais (born May 29, 1996) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman with the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the seventh round, 183rd overall, in the 2016 NHL entry draft.
Desharnais played college hockey with Providence College from 2015 to 2019, after playing a season for the Chilliwack Chiefs of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). He was a 7th-round draft pick of the Edmonton Oilers in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, in his third year of draft eligibility.[1] [2]
After playing three seasons of minor pro with the Wichita Thunder of the ECHL and the Bakersfield Condors of the American Hockey League (AHL), Desharnais was signed in March 2022 by the Oilers to a two year, entry-level contract.[3]
During the season, Desharnais was recalled by the Oilers and played his first NHL game on January 11, 2023, a 6–2 victory against the Anaheim Ducks.[4]
Desharnais scored his first career NHL goal on October 29, 2023 in an outdoor game against the Calgary Flames where the Oilers won 5–2.[5]
On July 1, 2024, Desharnais signed a two-year, $4 million contract with the Vancouver Canucks as an unrestricted free agent.[6]
Desharnais is the youngest in his family. His father, Jacques, and brother, Alex, have been cited by Desharnais as his hockey-playing influences.[7]
In January 2023, 10 days after his first NHL game, Desharnais spoke about his enjoyment of the finer things his new role in the NHL has given him.[8] In another interview, Desharnais clarified: "I waited 10 years to get my chance. I won't waste it [...] I think I'm bringing something that the team doesn't have as much, in terms of grit and intensity".[9]
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2013–14 | Northwood School | USHS | 37 | 5 | 16 | 21 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | Chilliwack Chiefs | BCHL | 54 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 52 | 12 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 0 | ||
| 2015–16 | Providence College | HE | 19 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2016–17 | Providence College | HE | 32 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017–18 | Providence College | HE | 38 | 0 | 11 | 11 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018–19 | Providence College | HE | 42 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | Wichita Thunder | ECHL | 31 | 0 | 13 | 13 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | Bakersfield Condors | AHL | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | Wichita Thunder | ECHL | 6 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | Bakersfield Condors | AHL | 37 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 36 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||
| 2021–22 | Bakersfield Condors | AHL | 66 | 5 | 22 | 27 | 55 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 2022–23 | Bakersfield Condors | AHL | 13 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 19 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2022–23 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 36 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 31 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 | ||
| 2023–24 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 78 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 54 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 22 | ||
| NHL totals | 114 | 1 | 15 | 16 | 85 | 28 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 30 | ||||
| Award | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| College | ||
| Hockey East Best Defensive Defenseman | 2019 | |
| ECHL | ||
| All-Star Game | 2020 | |
| AHL | ||
| Best +/- (+36) | 2022 | |
In 2019 Desharnais was announced as a nominee for the Hockey Humanitarian Award.[10] The award is presented annually to a NCAA student-athlete who makes significant contributions not only to his or her team but also to the community-at-large through leadership in volunteerism. Desharnais was recognized for an event he hosted, “PC Beats Cancer” an event in which over $5,100 was raised for the Gloria Gemma Foundation.
In 2020 Desharnais raised over $6,000 for the Défi Tête rasée Leucan to shave his head.[11]
In 2022 Desharnais helped Kevin Raphael and Leucan - with his second shaved head challenge - raise over $50,000.[12]