Éric Desjardins

Éric Desjardins
Position	Defenceman
Shot	Right
Height Weight	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 205 lb (93 kg)
Teams	Montreal Canadiens Philadelphia Flyers
Nationality	Canadian
Born	(1969-06-14)June 14, 1969, Rouyn-Noranda, QC, CAN
NHL Draft	38th overall, 1987 Montreal Canadiens
Pro Career	1988 – 2006

Éric Desjardins (born June 14, 1969) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He was a defenceman for the Montreal Canadiens and Philadelphia Flyers for 17 National Hockey League (NHL) seasons, winning the Stanley Cup with Montreal in 1993 and headlining the Flyers defence for over a decade.

Playing career

Desjardins was drafted 38th overall in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft by the Montreal Canadiens from the Granby Bisons of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). After playing one more season for Granby, he joined the Sherbrooke Canadiens of the AHL in time to make his professional debut in the spring of 1988, playing three regular season games and four playoff games. He began his NHL career in 1988–89 with two goals and twelve assists in 36 games. He also played in 14 playoff games on Montreal's way to the 1989 Stanley Cup Finals, a loss against the Calgary Flames.

His play improved thereafter, leading to an appearance in the 1992 NHL All-Star Game. By 1992–93 he had established himself as one of the team's premier defencemen, often playing in power play situations with Mathieu Schneider. Perhaps his most famous performance happened in game two of the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals on June 3, 1993, when he scored all of Montreal's goals in a 3–2 overtime win over the Los Angeles Kings in a game also marked by Marty McSorley's illegal stick penalty. The game turned the series in Montreal's favor.

On February 9, 1995, Desjardins was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers along with John LeClair and Gilbert Dionne in exchange for Mark Recchi and a 3rd round pick in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft. He was brought in to solidify the Flyers defence and that he did as he won the first of what would be seven Barry Ashbee Trophies, an award given annually to the Flyers top blueliner. He played the remainder of his career with the Flyers, achieving two NHL second team All-Star selections (1999, 2000) and two more All-Star Game appearances (1996, 2000). His 396 points with the Flyers ranks second among defencemen only to Mark Howe's 480 in team history.

The Flyers didn't offer Desjardins a contract following the 2005–06 season. His original team, Montreal, was interested in signing him for the 2006–07 season, but Desjardins opted to retire as a Flyer on August 10, 2006.

On January 11, 2007, before the Flyers/Canadiens game in Philadelphia, the Flyers honored Desjardins with Éric Desjardins Night, which featured a ceremony highlighting Desjardins' Flyers career. Afterwards, Desjardins was presented gifts and tokens of appreciation from both the Flyers and the Canadiens, his two former clubs.

Records

• June 3, 1993: First and to date only defenceman to score a hat-trick in a Stanley Cup Finals game.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1986–87	Granby Bisons	QMJHL		66	14	24	38	75		—	—	—	—	—
1987–88	Granby Bisons	QMJHL		62	18	49	67	138		5	0	3	3	10
1987–88	Sherbrooke Canadiens	AHL		3	0	0	0	6		4	0	2	2	2
1988–89	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		36	2	12	14	26		14	1	1	2	6
1989–90	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		55	3	13	16	51		6	0	0	0	10
1990–91	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		62	7	18	25	27		13	1	4	5	8
1991–92	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		77	6	32	38	50		11	3	3	6	4
1992–93	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		82	13	32	45	98		20	4	10	14	23
1993–94	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		84	12	23	35	97		7	0	2	2	4
1994–95	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		9	0	6	6	2		—	—	—	—	—
1994–95	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		34	5	18	23	12		15	4	4	8	10
1995–96	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		80	7	40	47	45		12	0	6	6	2
1996–97	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		82	12	34	46	50		19	2	8	10	12
1997–98	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		77	6	27	33	36		5	0	1	1	0
1998–99	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		68	15	36	51	38		6	2	2	4	4
1999–00	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		81	14	41	55	32		18	2	10	12	2
2000–01	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		79	15	33	48	50		6	1	1	2	0
2001–02	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		65	6	19	25	24		5	0	1	1	2
2002–03	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		79	8	24	32	35		5	2	1	3	0
2003–04	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		48	1	11	12	28		—	—	—	—	—
2005–06	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		45	4	20	24	56		6	1	3	4	6
NHL totals				1143	136	439	575	757		168	23	57	80	93

International

Year	Team	Event		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1987	Canada	WJHC		7	0	0	0	6
1988	Canada	WJHC		7	1	4	5	6
1991	Canada	CC		8	1	2	3	6
1996	Canada	WCH		8	1	2	3	4
1998	Canada	Oly		6	0	0	0	2
Senior int'l totals				22	2	4	6	12

Awards

Award	Year(s)
Barry Ashbee Trophy	1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003
Emile Bouchard Trophy	1988
NHL Second Team All-Star	1999, 2000
QMJHL First Team All-Star	1988
QMJHL Second Team All-Star	1987
Yanick Dupre Memorial	1999

External links

• Éric Desjardins's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database
• Éric Desjardins's biography at Legends of Hockey

Preceded by Eric Lindros

Philadelphia Flyers captains 2000–01

Succeeded by Keith Primeau

Note: Desjardins was named captain late in the 1999–2000 NHL season, after Lindros was stripped of the role. Desjardins, later resigned the captaincy early in the 2001–02 NHL season, in favor of Primeau.