Vincent Desharnais finally made his NHL debut in 2022-23. The Edmonton Oilers called him up last season, seven years after he was drafted in the seventh round in 2016. He isn’t the flashiest player and his role in the NHL hasn’t been set yet. He grinded for three years in NCAA and another 3.5 years in the American Hockey League (AHL)/ECHL before he finally earned his place on the Oilers.
Desharnais started last season in the AHL, but after Philip Broberg wasn’t ready early on and Markus Niemelainen already had another good look in the NHL, Desharnais became the next best option for the Oilers. He and Broberg were mostly used as the sixth/seventh defensemen, as they were both inexperienced and might not have been able to handle a full-time role. Desharnais eventually took over as the sixth defenceman, but some think that was the wrong move.
It is common for head coach Jay Woodcroft to dress 11 forwards and seven defencemen because it allows him to double shift his elite centermen with different wingers and because of the defensive situation. When Desharnais made his debut in November, it was well before Tyson Barrie was traded and Mattias Ekholm was acquired, and there were three legitimate NHL defencemen already on the right side, while he served as the seventh. That started to change as he played a solid game, and the adrenaline of getting a shot in the NHL after so many years was still flowing.
Once Ekholm came in, Broberg was at a disadvantage and became the fourth left-shot defenceman on the depth chart, while Desharnais moved up on the right side with Barrie gone. Broberg was tried on the right side — and can be utilized on both sides moving forward — but it was a bit risky to continue with the experiment down the stretch and in the playoffs. That experiment will best be left for preseason and over the course of the regular season in 2023-24 when the stakes aren’t so high. If Broberg plays in the sixth spot, what does this mean for Desharnais?
What to Expect From Desharnais in 2023-24
The Oilers decided to give Desharnais a bigger role than Broberg in the playoffs, and the 6-foot-6 defenceman became the third-pairing right d-man though the team’s playoff run, dropping Broberg to under 7:00 per game in the nine playoff games he dressed. When the games got rougher, the strategy was to utilize size on the back end, but some noticeable mistakes were made by Desharnais that cost the team a few goals.
Desharnais’ size plays a big part in his game as he hits, blocks shots, and can clear the front of the net, but he definitely holds back when he could be an even greater force. Not being as aggressive as he could and probably should be allows him to draw a good number of penalties and not take as many as he might. I’d argue that his physical presence is a big part in why he had a spot on the team in the first place and has to be utilized to the max. If he could make it so opposing players don’t want to drive the net or stand in front without taking a beating, then he’s doing his job.
Broberg will get a better look this season, and the third-pairing role should be his to lose. He is one of the Oilers’ most promising young players who hasn’t been given a great chance to succeed. While he is still exempt from waivers, playing him in the AHL won’t do much good at this point and sheltering him in the NHL won’t help him develop properly either. He has played 23 and 46 games in his first two NHL seasons, respectively, so he is set to play a full season on the third pairing. However, that doesn’t mean Desharnais won’t be on the team, as the Oilers are looking to keep seven defencemen for insurance purposes or in case Broberg struggles.
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Although the Oilers’ forward group looks stronger, and they might run with 12 forwards and six defencemen on many nights, there will be times when dressing 11 forwards and seven defencemen works better. I believe the roles will be flipped. Broberg may sit out very few games, while Desharnais will serve as the seventh defenceman, as he should (from “The secret the Edmonton Oilers know about Broberg that no one else knows,” Edmonton Journal, Jan. 23, 2023). Sometimes size and toughness might be needed, and he can contribute on the penalty kill and in the defensive end fairly well, but since he’s not counted on to produce any offence, the team won’t miss that from him when he’s out of the lineup.
At the very least, the Oilers shouldn’t be worried. They have a capable enough seventh defenceman making close to league minimum this season and someone who can realistically fill a hole if need be. While I’m rooting for Broberg to succeed, as his ceiling is much higher, Desharnais has a place on the Oilers in 2023-24.