"Lots of hard work": Oilers' Desharnais honoured by Masterton Trophy nomination

Edmonton Oilers defenceman Vincent Desharnais received some well-deserved recognition today as he was named a nominee for the Masterton Trophy.

The Masterton is an annual award given to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey. That certainly describes Desharnais, who has had to fight hard to get to where he is today.

The cards were never stacked in Desharnais’ favour. The 27-year-old wasn’t drafted into the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) and instead went across the country to play in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). From there, he was able to move on to Providence College and was selected in the seventh round of the 2016 draft by the Oilers.

Most seventh-round picks don’t go on to have NHL careers, and for a long stretch of time, it appeared Desharnais wouldn’t be an exception. He ended up playing three more seasons for Providence College before spending most of the 2019-20 season in the ECHL. He continued to battle, however, and after two and a half more seasons toiling in the minors, he received his first NHL call-up.

Desharnais made the most of that call-up, as he has remained with the Oilers ever since. The 6-foot-6 blueliner played in 36 NHL games a season ago and has suited up for 70 this time. Playing at the NHL level, let alone being a Masterton nominee, is something he could have never envisioned.

“It’s always nice to be recognized like that, to be nominated for an NHL trophy,” Desharnais said. “If you would have told me that a couple years ago, I would have probably laughed at you. It’s lots of hard work, lots of passion for the game, lots of people along the way that have supported me. I’ve mentioned many times before — my support group has been awesome for me. For me to have played over 100 games in this league, I don’t know if I could have made it without them.”

Desharnais is a fixture in the Oilers lineup, as even with the addition of Troy Stecher at the trade deadline, he continues to be inserted each and every night. He may not be winning a Norris Trophy anytime soon, but he deserves a lot of credit for the effort he has put into becoming a reliable third-pairing defenceman for the Oilers.

You might also like:
• The Oilers can clinch a playoff spot in tonight's game