A name that has recently been added to the Ottawa Senators right defenceman search radar, and one that needs a new offseason contract, is Vincent Desharnais. And why wouldn’t he be on a candidate short-list? Desharnais is nearly 28 and amid his first full NHL season. Therefore, it would make sense he has flown under the radar to this point. Let’s take a look at why he no longer flies under the radar and is a great fit in Northern Alberta for a 2024 NHL Stanley Cup playoff run. Also, could he be the perfect fit for the Sens? Let’s investigate.
Will Vincent Desharnais’ New Contract Be in Edmonton or Could It Be Ottawa?
I wrote about what the Ottawa Senators need to do this offseason to get over the hump and make the playoffs in 2024-25 https://t.co/eeQVgs78b2
— Josh Wegman (@JoshWegman_) March 31, 2024
Josh Wegman of The Score targeted Desharnais as a rumour for the Sens. The caveat with Desharnais is it is the hope the best is yet to come for him. This is one aspect that sets him apart from many other candidates. This translates to him potentially not costing a lot for the team that eventually signs him, whether that be Edmonton or Ottawa. Desharnais would definitely fit the bill as a late bloomer. Conversely, he should be fresh and have several productive years left. After college at Providence as a Friar, he bounced around between the ECHL and the AHL.
Now he has settled in nicely to the NHL. Furthermore, he is a big part of the Oilers top-six this year. In fact, the team’s alignment has been remarkably consistent, as all six of their defencemen have played 69 games or more. Brett Kulak and Desharnais have been primarily paired up together, and mind you, very effectively. Sometimes Nurse has been paired up with Desharnais as well. Either way, both pairings involving Desharnais are good for a plus 55 xGoals%.
Is There a Fit for a Vincent Desharnais Contract in Ottawa?
The trick to finding great fits in the salary cap world is that it takes a leap. You must be able to project what a player will be, not what they used to be. Vladimir Tarasenko was a great example of that in 2023-24 for Ottawa. It was so difficult not to imagine him as the six-time 30-goal scorer who was a cup winner. However, it did work out well for Tarasenko and the Sens. As a second-liner, 17 goals and 24 assists in 57 games was quite efficient. It allowed Tarasenko to get what he wanted to go to a contender and helped return some assets at the same time. So, how can the Sens reasonably discover a defenceman who is at the beginning of an upward progression?
A Closer Look at What Desharnais Brings
Vincent Desharnais checks a lot of the boxes for the Senators needs. They don’t need offence and fast skaters as their top-six is very well accommodating to those attributes. What they need is size, physicality, and a reliable defensive piece on the backend. Listed at 6’7″, that is a lot of what Desharnais provides. Of course, he would need to step up for the Senators. So far in 105 career NHL games with the Edmonton Oilers, he sits at 14:48 a night. If he is to succeed in Ottawa, he will need to increase his minutes. Also, if his defensive abilities are to be a benefit, he will need to log penalty kill time. In this way, his ice time should bump up to a level where he can be more of an impact player. For that type of role, if he can be at 17-18 minutes a night, it would be a difference maker.
If Tyler Kleven can make the roster out of camp, Desharnais and he will provide a huge improvement in overall team toughness, especially on the blue line. Desharnais is just another name on the list of candidates the Senators could add to the list of candidates to help their top four right-shot defence needs. However, he’s not yet a top-four guy but would help rotate the others. In any case, expect a raise for the pending free agent making under $800K this year.
Main photo: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
