Guillaume Desbiens

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

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

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
2001–02	Rouyn-Noranda Huskies	QMJHL		65	14	10	24	115		4	1	1	2	9
2002–03	Rouyn-Noranda Huskies	QMJHL		64	15	18	33	233		4	0	0	0	4
2003–04	Rouyn-Noranda Huskies	QMJHL		58	20	21	41	199		11	2	2	4	24
2004–05	Rouyn-Noranda Huskies	QMJHL		56	27	16	43	206		10	1	4	5	25
2005–06	Chicago Wolves	AHL		3	0	0	0	7		—	—	—	—	—
2005–06	Gwinnett Gladiators	ECHL		65	33	27	60	187		17	10	6	16	38
2006–07	Chicago Wolves	AHL		54	3	6	9	118		6	0	1	1	2
2007–08	Chicago Wolves	AHL		23	2	1	3	30		1	0	1	1	0
2007–08	Gwinnett Gladiators	ECHL		10	2	5	7	46		8	3	6	9	10
2008–09	Manitoba Moose	AHL		78	21	26	47	158		22	4	8	12	18
2009–10	Manitoba Moose	AHL		67	19	15	34	144		6	3	6	9	17
2009–10	Vancouver Canucks	NHL		1	0	0	0	2		—	—	—	—	—
2010–11	Manitoba Moose	AHL		53	11	16	27	104		13	1	3	4	31
2010–11	Vancouver Canucks	NHL		12	0	0	0	10		—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	Abbotsford Heat	AHL		59	3	11	14	114		—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	Calgary Flames	NHL		10	0	0	0	25		—	—	—	—	—
2012–13	Chicago Wolves	AHL		52	4	4	8	118		—	—	—	—	—
2013–14	Lake Erie Monsters	AHL		62	8	6	14	200		—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	Dornbirner EC	EBEL		53	12	12	24	148		—	—	—	—	—
2015–16	HDD Olimpija Ljubljana	EBEL		6	0	0	0	6		—	—	—	—	—
2015–16	Sheffield Steelers	EIHL		29	7	16	23	96		2	1	0	1	2
2016–17	Sheffield Steelers	EIHL		52	8	15	23	130		4	2	0	2	2
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. Retrieved 2019-02-12.
2. "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.

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database