Willie Desjardins is hired as the Medicine Hat Tigers newest
head coach in July of 2002. Desjardins, a Climax, SK native,
is a former Western Canadian Hockey League player with the
Lethbridge Broncos from 1974-77. He followed his junior career
by playing at the University of Saskatchewan for former
Huskies' head coach Dave King. Willie began his coaching
career at the University of Calgary in 1985 as assistant coach
to George Kingston. Desjardins took over as head coach in
Calgary in 1989. After coaching at the University of Calgary,
he ventured to Japan
where he coached Seibu Bears to the Japan league championship.
He returned to Canada to take over the head-coaching reins with the Saskatoon Blades part way through the 1997 season. In 1998, Willie was chosen as assistant coach with the Canadian national mens hockey team where he worked under Mike Johnson who is now assistant coach with the Vancouver Canucks. After the national men's hockey team disbanded in 1999, Willie returned overseas to the international game for two seasons. In seventeen years of coaching, Willie has missed the play-offs only once and has taken his teams to league finals eleven times.

As a player, Desjardins' strengths were his leadership skills and his incredible desire to succeed. Willie served as team captain with both the Broncos and University of Saskatchewan Huskies. He played with a tremendous amount of passion for the game. Desjardins has played for and coached with some of the top coaches in North America.

www.tigershockey.com
Name: Willie Desjardins
Number:  
Season(s): 1983/84
Position: Winger

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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