When the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds bus pulled into Sudbury
for a game recently five minutes late, forward Andrew
Desjardins scrambled off as quickly as he could.
He had time to make up and for good reason.
He grabbed his gear and raced into the Sudbury Arena.
Desjardins, who hails from Lively, had gone through the same
routine for the last four seasons, but this time was different.
He wanted to savour every fleeting second of the atmosphere
at the old Elgin St. barn.
It is Desjardins' final season in the OHL. He knows full
well when he stepped onto the ice that night, it potentially
marked the last time he played elite level hockey in his
hometown. (Unless of course Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury meet
in the OHL Championship final.)
Desjardins has been trying to make the most out of his last
season and it shows.
At the start of the 2006-07 season, Desjardins was eager to
make it a great season.
It didn't happen and he stumbled out of the gate, much like
his team did.
Desjardins had just two goals and five points in his first
18 games.
The Greyhounds also sputtered. In the month of December, the
team went 2-8 and was looking lost.
Then, in the new year, Desjardins and the Greyhounds exploded.
Desjardins found his groove and has put up eight goals and
26 points in his last 27 games.
Sault Ste. Marie, bolstered by Desjardins' efforts, tore through the competition and has won 19 of their last 27 games.
"After the month we had in December, we came together and we
all bought into the system," said the 20-year-old.
"We became committed to one another...started working better together and it all fell into place. Since then, we've always been finding ways to improve ourselves. We want to win...we have the taste for it. We know if we keep working hard, we can compete with any team in this league."
Desjardins has a lot of pride, and his early struggles wreaked
havoc on his mind.
"No doubt I had a tough start and it was a difficult thing to
go through...especially since it was my final year and I wanted
to have a good season," said the six-foot centre. "I kept
working hard...never gave up at each practice and game. I knew
things would turn around for me. I got over the frustration...I
started playing a more gritty game and it paid off. I had a
knee problem in the middle of the season...it was nothing
serious but it slowed me down a bit. I came to my senses and
told myself to pick up my game and help lead this team...the
team expects it from me."
Desjardins has come a long way in the OHL. He was a 15th round
draft pick out of bantam and wasn't given much of a chance to
ever make it to the OHL.
The league nay-sayers never factored in how much his desire
would help propel him to great heights.
"Andrew came in as a 17 year old, and played on the fourth line
in his first season...playing minimum minutes," said Greyhounds
GM Dave Torrie. "He stuck to it. He evolved his game over time
to the point that he's an integral member of this club. He's
our best defensive forward and when he's on his game, he brings
an added element of offence. He's gone from a role player to a
guy we count on each game."
Desjardins' spirit has endeared him to the team's brass.
"He has great character," said Torrie. "He worked his way up to
become an assistant captain. It speaks volumes about his
character and work ethic. He brings a lot of energy and when
he's playing well, our whole team feeds off him."
Head coach Craig Hartsburg didn't mince words when describing
Desjardins' value to the franchise.
"We count on him to play a strong two-way game every night,"
said the bench boss. "He plays smart hockey."
Desjardins has enjoyed every minute of his time in the OHL.
"This year means a lot to me," said the 197-pound forward. "It
is my last. I've learned a lot and it's been a great
experience. It's made me a better person, not just a better
hockey player. We do a lot of community work...with youths.
It's important to me to give back. It's nice to know I can have
a positive impact on the lives of kids."
Desjardins wants what every player wants, and that's a
championship to cap off his career.
"I want to go far and win the league," said Desjardins. "I've
been putting everything I have into this season. We've built
ourselves into a hard working team. I know we can do some
damage in the playoffs...I wouldn't underestimate us at
all."
Fittingly, Desjardins scored a goal in his, potentially, last
OHL game at the Sudbury Arena that helped his team eventually
win 3-2 in a shoot-out.
Desjardins hasn't been drafted by an NHL team. He's looking at
turning pro in the minors next season.
