Vincent Desharnais Signed A Two-Year Contract With The Vancouver Canucks on July 1.
GM Patrik Allvin achieved his goal of adding more size on the blue line by signing 6'7", 226-pound right-shot defenceman Vincent Desharnais on July 1. The 28-year-old defender signed a two-year deal with the organization that will carry an AAV of $2 million. Despite only having two years of NHL experience under his belt, Desharnais is a player with a lot of potential that should thrive in Rick Tocchet's system.
This is not the first time that Desharnais will be playing in British Columbia. The Laval-born defender played the 2014-15 season in the BCHL with the Chilliwack Chiefs before moving on to Providence College in the NCAA. A seventh-round pick by the Edmonton Oilers in 2016, Desharnais had five points in 54 games with the Chiefs before exploding for eight points in 12 games while helping them win the Mainland Division Finals before falling in the Semi-final Round Robin.
The biggest reason Desharnais should thrive under Tocchet is his physicality. Last season, Desharnais finished fourth on Edmonton's roster with 135 hits during the regular season, while his 40 in 16 playoff games ranked eighth. Whether laying out big hits or using his body weight to press the opposition against the boards, having a player of his size should make Vancouver a more difficult team to play against next year.
Desharnais is also a strong penalty killer who played a key role for the Oilers during the regular season and playoffs. In 47 minutes of shorthanded time during the postseason, he was on the ice for three goals against, with all three coming against the Canucks. He was also one of the top shorthanded shot blockers during the playoffs, with his 15 ranking third behind only Chris Tanev and Jacob Trouba.
One of the big questions surrounding Desharnais is whether he can play an elevated role for Vancouver. He did see his ice time increase from 15:44 to 17:15 per game during the postseason, but he also was a healthy scratch in all but one game of the Stanley Cup Final. If he can be a player like Nikita Zadorov, who takes his game to another level during the postseason, the Canucks could be looking at a player who sees elevated minutes during the playoffs.
Desharnais is part of the low-risk, high-reward club from this offseason. At $2 million per season, he could be in the conversation for the best contract signed during the 2024 offseason, as he has the potential to bring surplus value to Vancouver's roster. Ultimately, he is the type of player that Rick Tocchet will love, and one his teammates will be happy they do not have to play against anymore.
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