The Edmonton Oilers don’t have a lot of players to re-sign after the 2023-24 season concludes, but one player that will become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) and needs to earn himself a new deal is defenseman Vincent Desharnais. He was recalled from the American Hockey League (AHL) early on in the 2022-23 season and played solid, but hasn’t broken out as a great defender just yet. He played well as the sixth/seventh defenseman but his consistency wasn’t there near the end of the season. He struggled in the playoffs and his spot in the lineup could be in jeopardy this season.
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With Philip Broberg, Markus Niemelainen and Cam Dineen looking to find their way into the Oilers’ lineup, Desharnais has a lot to prove this season. He has the potential to move up the team’s depth chart as the season moves along, but with the amount of strength in the Oilers’ system, he has to be solid. Broberg, Niemelainen and Dineen all have NHL experience and are on the brink of being full-time NHL players, so one slip-up could lower his chances of a new contract past the 2023-24 season.
Desharnais’ Long Road to the NHL
Desharnais is considered an “old rookie” as he never got his first game in the NHL until the age of 27. He was drafted by the Oilers in the seventh round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft at 183rd overall after an impressive showing in the NCAA with Providence College. He continued to fine-tune his game at the NCAA level until the 2019-20 season when he got his first taste of professional hockey within the Oilers system. In 131 games with Providence, he scored eight goals and added 21 assists for 29 points. He established himself as a shutdown defenseman that provides minimal offensive production.
His 6-foot-6 stature was an attractive asset for the Oilers and it was something that helped him earn an opportunity in the big leagues. He played the majority of his first pro season in the ECHL with the Wichita Thunder where he had 13 assists through 31 games, but also played six games with the Bakersfield Condors. The 2020-21 season was when he got his first taste of full AHL action playing 37 games with the Condors and getting 10 assists. He hit his career high in the 2021-22 season when he scored five goals and added 22 assists for 27 points through 66 games.
Desharnais earned his first taste of NHL action midway through the 2022-23 season. He had played 13 games adding two assists with the Condors prior to his jump. He finished the NHL season with five assists through 36 games and quickly became a fan favourite as a big physical defenseman that wasn’t afraid to drop the gloves. He slotted in quickly on the third pairing and was battling Broberg all season for the sixth spot, while the other played the seventh defenseman role when the team ran 11 forwards and seven defensemen on some nights.
What’s Next for Desharnais?
Desharnais is in the final year of his contract. With the amount of skill in the Oilers’ system, his future with the team is up in the air. This will be a season he’ll use to try and prove himself as a player they can rely on in their bottom-four for a few seasons as they try and compete for a Stanley Cup, but he risks having a bad season and losing his chance at a new contract.
Desharnais will likely have a long leash going into the 2023-24 season, but he doesn’t have a job with anyone after this season. He’ll have to prove himself as a consistently stable depth defender if he wants to remain in Orange and Blue for years to come.