461 NHL games, Stanley Cup winner, DEL champion: Andrew Desjardins was considered the hottest stock on the transfer market. Now it’s fixed: The blue and whites secure the services of an absolute top star: Desjardin is moving from DEL semi-finalists Mannheim to the Drau after five seasons and will wear the VSV jersey in the next two seasons.
What a transfer sensation – the “Adler” commit with Andrew Desjardin (35) an absolute top star, who is considered a very special leader and leading player. EC VSV General Manager Andreas Napokoj: “We are overjoyed that after many discussions and despite numerous well-known offers, Andrew has decided in favor of us. He has an enormous amount of experience and, thanks to his time in the NHL and the DEL, knows that you have to work hard every day to be successful. Andrew is a leader, a ‘mentality monster’ and an exceptional two-way striker who is physically strong, a goalscorer and his passion fits our team perfectly.”
Andrew Desjardins started his ice hockey career in the 2003/04 season with the Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds in Canada’s Ontario Hockey League. There he scored nine points in 55 games in his rookie year. After further stints in the Central Hockey League and with the Worcester Sharks in the AHL, he completed his first NHL match for the San Jose Sharks in the 2010/2011 season.
He started an impressive NHL career: He played a total of 461 NHL games (26 goals and 46 assists) for the Chicago Blackhawks and the San Jose Sharks. The center also won the Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks in 2015. In 2018, Desjardin moved to Europe to the “Adlers” in Mannheim, with whom he became DEL champion in 2019. Speaking of which: His impressive record over the past five DEL seasons: 291 games, 146 points, including 67 goals. In addition, he scored for Mannheim in the European Champions Hockey League almost at will – 43 points, including 24 direct hits in 75 games. He also shone in the championship year 2019 with the best plus-minus statistics (+37) in the entire DEL.
Andrew Desjardins is already looking forward to Villach and VSV: “My family and I are very excited. We are already looking forward to the team, the club, the city. My goal is to win. I would also like to achieve that with the VSV. The team has already had a very good season this year, and now we want to take another step. We have a very strong team and we want to have a great season.”
The Canadian will arrive in Villach with his wife and two children at the beginning of August.
www.ecvsv.at, Pic: AS Sportfoto / Sörli Binder
