Guillaume Desbiens
Desbiens in 2009
Born (1985-04-20) April 20, 1985
Alma, Quebec, Canada
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 210 lb (95 kg; 15 st 0 lb)
Position Right Wing
Shot Right
Played for Vancouver Canucks
Calgary Flames
Dornbirner EC
HDD Olimpija Ljubljana
Sheffield Steelers
NHL Draft 116th overall, 2003
Atlanta Thrashers
Playing career 2005–2017

Guillaume Desbiens (born April 20, 1985) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames.

Playing career

As a youth, Desbiens played in the 1999 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team from Rive-Sud.[1]

Desbiens played major junior in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies for four seasons, being drafted 116th overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the Atlanta Thrashers after his second year with the Huskies. He turned pro in 2005–06, splitting the season between the Chicago Wolves of the AHL and the Gwinnett Gladiators of the ECHL. Despite having signed an NHL contract with the Thrashers, Desbiens did not suit up in any pre-season or regular season games with Atlanta.[2] He played in the Thrashers' farm system between the Wolves and Gladiators until the end of the 2007–08 season, when he was released by his NHL team.[2]

Desbiens joined the Manitoba Moose of the AHL as a walk-on in 2008–09.[2] Following his first season with the Moose, he was signed by their NHL affiliate, the Vancouver Canucks on July 22, 2009.[3] Assigned to the Moose to start the 2009–10 season, he was recalled by the Canucks after an injury to Daniel Sedin[4] and made his NHL debut with the Canucks on October 11, 2009. He played nine-and-a-half minutes on the third line with Kyle Wellwood and Tanner Glass in a 4–3 win against the Dallas Stars.[2] After his one-game stint, he was sent back down to the Moose in favour of Michael Grabner.[5]

Desbiens with Lake Erie Monsters (2013).

After a training camp where he impressed the Canucks coaching staff, Desbiens made the Canucks' 2010-2011 opening night lineup. He played in every game until November 5, when he broke his hand, sidelining him indefinitely.[6]

In the off-season, Desbiens left the Canucks organization and on July 4, 2011, signed a one-year two-way contract with rival the Calgary Flames.[7] He was originally assigned to the Flames affiliate, the Abbotsford Heat to begin the 2011–12 season. Whilst leading the Heat in penalty minutes, Desbiens was recalled by the Flames and appeared in 10 games over the course of the campaign to record 25 penalty minutes.

On July 30, 2012, Desbiens signed a one-year, two-way contract to return to the Vancouver Canucks organization.[8] He was unable to add to his Canucks experience, as he was assigned directly to familiar affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, for the duration of the 2012–13 season, leading the Wolves with 118 penalty minutes.

Desbiens signed for his fourth NHL team on July 5, 2013, signing as a free agent to one-year, two-way deal with the Colorado Avalanche.[9] After attending the Avalanche training camp, Desbiens was reassigned to AHL affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters, to begin the 2013–14 season. In adding a veteran presence to the Monsters, Desbiens was selected as an Alternate captain, and was primarily used in a bottom six role in providing physicality. Desbiens failed to replicate the offensive presence from earlier in his career, scoring just 8 goals in 62 games but led the team with 200 penalty minutes.

Released as a free agent by the Avalanche at season's end, Desbiens opted to begin his European career in agreeing to a one-year deal with Austrian club, Dornbirner EC of the EBEL on August 1, 2014.[10] After one season with Dornbirner, Desbiens opted to continue in the Austrian League, transferring on a one-year deal to Slovenian club, HDD Olimpija Ljubljana on July 30, 2015.[11]

In the 2015–16 season, Desbiens went scoreless in 6 games with HDD before opting to leave the EBEL to sign with British club, Sheffield Steelers of the EIHL on November 22, 2015.[12]

Despite signing a new two-year deal with Sheffield in the spring of 2017, Desbiens retired from hockey on May 22, 2017, after receiving a job opportunity back in Minnesota (where he lives).[13] His final appearance for the Steelers was to help them beat Cardiff Devils to win the EIHL play-off final in April.[14]

Career statistics

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2000–01Lévis CommandeursQMAAA409142392—————
2001–02Rouyn–Noranda HuskiesQMJHL6514102411541129
2002–03Rouyn–Noranda HuskiesQMJHL6415183323340004
2003–04Rouyn–Noranda HuskiesQMJHL582021411991122424
2004–05Rouyn–Noranda HuskiesQMJHL562716432061014525
2005–06Chicago WolvesAHL30007—————
2005–06Gwinnett GladiatorsECHL65332760187171061638
2006–07Chicago WolvesAHL5436911860112
2007–08Chicago WolvesAHL232133010110
2007–08Gwinnett GladiatorsECHL1025746836910
2008–09Manitoba MooseAHL7821264715822481218
2009–10Manitoba MooseAHL67191534144636917
2009–10Vancouver CanucksNHL10002—————
2010–11Manitoba MooseAHL531116271041313431
2010–11Vancouver CanucksNHL1200010—————
2011–12Abbotsford HeatAHL5931114114—————
2011–12Calgary FlamesNHL1000025—————
2012–13Chicago WolvesAHL52448118—————
2013–14Lake Erie MonstersAHL628614200—————
2014–15Dornbirner ECEBEL53121224148—————
2015–16HDD Olimpija LjubljanaEBEL60006—————
2015–16Sheffield SteelersEIHL29716239621012
2016–17Sheffield SteelersEIHL528152313042022
AHL totals 451 71 85 156 993 55 9 19 28 89
NHL totals 23 0 0 0 37 — — — — —

References

  1. ↑ "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-03-06. Retrieved 2019-02-12.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "From walk-on to NHL call-up". Winnipeg Sun. 2009-10-13. Retrieved 2009-10-14.
  3. ↑ "Canucks sign Glass, Desbiens and Funk". TSN. 2009-07-22. Retrieved 2009-07-22.
  4. ↑ "Canucks' Daniel Sedin out 4-6 weeks with broken foot". The Sports Network. 2009-10-11. Retrieved 2009-10-11.
  5. ↑ "Canucks recall Grabner from AHL". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 2009-10-14. Retrieved 2009-10-15.
  6. ↑ "Desbiens out with broken hand". Vancouver Province. 2010-11-05. Archived from the original on 2010-11-08. Retrieved 2010-11-20.
  7. ↑ "Flames sign Desbiens to one-year deal". The Sports Network. 2011-07-04. Retrieved 2011-07-04.
  8. ↑ "Canucks sign Guillaume Desbiens". Vancouver Canucks. 2012-07-30. Retrieved 2012-07-03.
  9. ↑ "Avalanche announce signings". Colorado Avalanche. 2013-07-05. Retrieved 2013-07-05.
  10. ↑ "Dornbirner recruit Desbiens and Samardzic" (in German). Dornbirner EC. 2014-08-01. Retrieved 2014-08-01.
  11. ↑ "Dragons strengthen with Desbiens and Roy" (in Slovenian). HDD Olimpija Ljubljana. 2015-07-30. Retrieved 2015-07-30.
  12. ↑ "Steelers sign Guillaume Desbiens". Sheffield Steelers. 2015-11-22. Retrieved 2015-11-22.
  13. ↑ "Guillaume Desbiens to retire". Elite Ice Hockey League. 2017-05-22. Retrieved 2017-05-22.
  14. ↑ "Steelers emerge victorious over Devils". BBC. 2017-05-23. Retrieved 2017-05-23.
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