Willie Desjardins

Willie Desjardins
Desjardins in 2014 with the Calder Cup
Born (1957-02-11) February 11, 1957
Climax, Saskatchewan, Canada
Height 5 ft 8 in (173 cm)
Weight 160 lb (73 kg; 11 st 6 lb)
Position Centre
Shot Right
Played for Moose Jaw Canucks
Swift Current Broncos
Lethbridge Broncos
Nijmegen Tigers
Playing career 1971–1984

Wilbrod "Willie" Desjardins (born February 11, 1957) is a Canadian ice hockey coach and player. He was the head coach of the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL) from 2014 to 2017. In July 2017 he was named head of the coaching staff for Canada's men's team at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, Korea.[1]

Playing career

Desjardins began his hockey career playing in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) for the Moose Jaw Canucks from 1971 to 1974 and split the 1974-75 season between the Moose Jaw Canucks and the Swift Current Broncos. He played in the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL) for the Lethbridge Broncos from 1975 through 1977.[2] He followed his junior hockey career by studying at the University of Saskatchewan and played with the Saskatchewan Huskies under then head coach Dave King, serving as captain of the 1982-83 University of Saskatchewan Huskies hockey team that won the Canadian university championship, after losing back-to-back national championship finals in previous seasons.[3] King recommended him to Alex Andjelic, head coach of Vissers Nijmegen in the Netherlands. Desjardins spent the 1983/84 season in Nijmegen and won, as captain, the first Dutch championship with the club.[4]

Coaching career

Desjardins began his coaching career at the University of Calgary in 1985 as assistant coach and became head coach in 1989. He then coached the Seibu Bears in Japan. He then returned to Canada and became head coach of the Saskatoon Blades, replacing Donn Clark midway through the 1997–98 season. He was then offered a job as an assistant coach for the Canada men's national team.

Once hired by the Medicine Hat Tigers, Desjardins was instrumental in the Tigers' first playoff appearance in five years in the 2002–03 season, leading them to a Memorial Cup appearance and their 4th WHL championship in 2003–04, and a 96-point Eastern Conference regular season champion 2004–05 season. Desjardins took on the duties of general manager for the 2005–06 season.

Desjardins was awarded the Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy for the Coach of the Year in the Western Hockey League and the Canadian Hockey League.[5]

In 2009, he was the assistant coach of Team Canada's World Junior Gold medal team, under head coach Pat Quinn and alongside fellow assistant coaches Guy Boucher and Dave Cameron.[6] Desjardins was the head coach of Team Canada's 2010 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships team.

From 2010 to 2012, Desjardins served as the associate head coach of the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League before being selected as the head coach of their AHL team in Cedar Park, Texas in June 2012.[7] On June 17, 2014, he led his Texas Stars team to their first Calder Cup Championship.

On June 23, 2014, Desjardins was hired as the head coach for the Vancouver Canucks, replacing John Tortorella, who was dismissed as head coach after one season.[8] On April 10, 2017, he was fired after the team missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season, along with assistants Perry Pearn and Doug Lidster.[9] Desjardins posted a record of 109–110–27 in three seasons with the club.

July 25, 2017 he was named head coach of Canada's men's team at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, Korea, with his university head coach Dave King as an assistant.[1] In December 2017, he led Team Canada to gold at the Spengler Cup in Davos.[10]

Personal life

He holds a Bachelor of Education (BEd) and a Master of Social Work (MSW).[11] He is married and has three kids- Sheehan, Brayden and Jayce. [12] Desjardins is also the owner of a golf course, two RV parks and a mini golf. His daughter studies journalism and has her broadcasting degree.

Head coaching record

WHL

TeamYearRegular seasonPlayoffs
GWLTOTLPtsPctDivision rankResult
Saskatoon Blades1997–98 3910236–26.3334th in EastLost in 1st Round
Medicine Hat Tigers2002–03 7229342767.4653rd in CentralLost in 2nd Round
Medicine Hat Tigers2003–04 7240209392.6391st in CentralWon Championship
Medicine Hat Tigers2004–05 7245214296.6671st in CentralLost in 2nd Round
Medicine Hat Tigers2005–06 724716–9103.7151st in CentralLost in 3rd Round
Medicine Hat Tigers2006–07 725217–3107.7431st in CentralWon Championship
Medicine Hat Tigers2007–08 724322–793.6463rd in CentralLost in 1st Round
Medicine Hat Tigers2008–09 723629–779.5492nd in CentralLost in 2nd Round
Medicine Hat Tigers2009–10 724123–890.6253rd in CentralLost in 2nd Round
WHL Totals 615 343 205 21 46 753 .612 4 Division Titles 9 Playoff Appearances
2 Championships

AHL

TeamYearRegular seasonPlayoffs
GWLOTLPtsPctDivision rankResult
Texas Stars2012–13 7643221197.6381st in SouthLost in 2nd Round
Texas Stars2013–14 76481810106.6971st in SouthWon Calder Cup
AHL Totals 152 91 40 21 203 .668 2 Division Titles 2 Playoff Appearances
1 Calder Cup

NHL

TeamYearRegular seasonPlayoffs
GWLOTLPtsPctDivision rankResult
Vancouver Canucks2014–15 8248295101.6162nd in PacificLost in First Round (Flames)
Vancouver Canucks2015–16 8231381375.4576th in PacificMissed playoffs
Vancouver Canucks2016–17 823043969.4217th in PacificMissed playoffs
NHL Totals 246 109 110 27 245 .498 1 Playoff Appearance

References

  1. 1 2 Harrison, Doug (July 25, 2017). "Willie Desjardins fronts Canadian Olympic hockey coaching staff". CBC Sports. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  2. ↑ "Willie Desjardins hockey statistics and profile at hockeydb.com". hockeydb.com. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
  3. ↑ Heroux, Devin (1 February 2018). "Canadian Olympic hockey coaches go way back to the 'dog' days". CBC Sports. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  4. ↑ "Willie Desjardins coach Vancouver Canucks | AHOUD Devils Nijmegen". nijmegendevils.nl. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
  5. ↑
  6. ↑ "2009 Team Canada Roster". Retrieved June 13, 2012.
  7. ↑ "Desjardins named coach in Texas". Retrieved June 13, 2012.
  8. ↑ "Willie Desjardins named Canucks head coach". Retrieved June 23, 2012.
  9. ↑ "Canucks relieve Willie Desjardins of duties". NHL.com. April 10, 2017. Retrieved April 10, 2017.
  10. ↑ "Canada defends Spengler Cup title with 3-0 victory over Switzerland". CTVNews. 2017-12-31. Retrieved 2017-12-31.
  11. ↑ "Canucks announce Willie Desjardins as 18th head coach in franchise history | (CKNW AM) AM980". cknw.com. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Willie Desjardins hired as coach of Vancouver Canucks - NHL.com - News". nhl.com. Retrieved October 29, 2014.
Preceded by
John Tortorella		 Head coach of the Vancouver Canucks
2014–2017		 Succeeded by
Travis Green
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