This offseason, the Vancouver Canucks lost some size on the backend, with Nikita Zadorov signing with the Boston Bruins. Wanting to replicate Zadorov’s size, the Canucks came to terms on a two-year, $4 million contract with 6’7″ former Edmonton Oiler defenceman Vincent Desharnais.
There was optimism throughout the organization that they would be able to help him fully develop and hit his unknown ceiling. Well, that lasted about a whole one game as Desharnais was made a healthy scratch in Game 2 of the season for the Canucks after finishing with a team-low minus-two rating against the Calgary Flames on opening night.
But that isn’t deterring the Laval, Quebec native from confidence in himself.
“If you care, you obviously get frustrated with it. I think I can play every game. But it’s the business, it’s the business aspect of it. I’ve been in this position too many times to lose focus. Like I said, I’m in the best league in the world. There’s some great D-men. I think it just shows the depth that we have here. Yesterday, I got better. I was skating and [got] a workout in, and that’s how you kind of get over that.”
Not only is his confidence not affected by the scratching, but neither is the coaching staff’s, as they still have a vision for Desharnais this season.
“They didn’t scratch me because I’m not good enough, or because they don’t believe in me, or I’m not in the plans. I’m in the plans. I know that. I know I’ve got better in me; I know I can keep getting better every day. I know my ceiling [has] a lot of room to grow, and days like yesterday, they’re great for me cause that’s how you get better.”
Desharnais spent a lot of time on the ice for practice today. It seemed that he and his coaches were working hard to develop on the fly, as he’ll likely draw back into the lineup after the uncertainty of Tyler Myers’ injury.
“To use his [coach] words, ‘I’ve got to be a cat,'” Desharnais said when talking about the new strategies they’re working on. “So yeah, that’s all I can say. I’m working on being more like a cat.”
However, Desharnais did open up about the play details of what being “a cat” means.
“It’s a lot of footwork stuff. I have the footwork in me, it’s just the muscle memory of doing it on every shift, being on my toes and being ready to jump on pucks, being ready to have a good stick. I think it’s all there; it just got to come together. That’s why we do reps and practices. Once that next game [comes] that I’m in, I’ll be ready. On a daily basis I’ll just try to get better and better. Everywhere I’ve been, every year in my career so far, I’ve had a slow start, [then] I pick it up. I work, I work, I work and at some point I feel more comfortable, more confident. That goal is to help the team win.”
Despite being 28 years old, Desharnais only has 115 games of NHL experience. With such a late start, he talked about what he had to do differently to get himself acclimated to such a fast-paced game.
“I’m at a point in my career where the speed doesn’t faze me as much. Just be consistent on an every shift basis, not just one shift, not just one period, on an every single shift [basis], just be on my toes. That’s my biggest thing I’ve got to keep working on.
“I felt like I was focusing on things I couldn’t really have power over. And [over] the last year or two, I’ve been focusing more on myself and what can I do to improve and get better. When I’m scratched, what’s in my power right now? It’s not to pout and say, ‘Why me?’ It’s time to put the work boots on and just get better and next time your numbers, on the board, be ready.”
This was also the first time Desharnais switched teams. It may not have been easy for an NHL veteran to come and play such a heavily structured Rick Tocchet brand of hockey, let alone someone with just over 100 NHL games. The undrafted defenceman opened up about Tocchet’s structure and how he’s adjusting.
“They push you to gap up a lot more. That makes you in an uncomfortable position cause their forwards are a lot closer to you. The more you do it, the better you feel about it and the more it works. So, I’ve seen it already in three week, trying to push myself to do it more and more. Kind of the same thing in the D-zone. Be a little bit more aggressive; don’t think as much, just be on your toes. On opening night, I was always there, but I was a second late. I felt like I was thinking a little bit, it’s not instinct. I do believe by doing practices like today, your muscle memory is gaining every day and hopefully [to] a point where I don’t have to think, I can just go out there in a game and it’s just natural.”
Vancouver gets a four-day break until they return to action as they travel to Tampa Bay for a date with the Lightning on October
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