Career
Desjardins began his hockey career playing in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) for the Moose Jaw Canucks from 1971 to 1974 and split the 1974-1975 season between the Moose Jaw Canucks and the Swift Current Broncos. He played in the Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL) for the Lethbridge Broncos from 1975 through 1977. He followed his junior hockey career by studying at the University of Saskatchewan and played with the Saskatchewan Huskies under then head coach Dave King.
King recommended him to Alex Andjelic, head coach of Vissers Nijmegen in the Netherlands.
Desjardins began his coaching career at the University of Calgary in 1985 as assistant coach and became head coach in 1989. He then coached the Seibu Bears in Japan.
He then returned to Canada and became head coach of the Saskatoon Blades midway through the 1997 season. He was then offered a job as an assistant coach for the Canadian National Men"s Hockey Team.
Desjardins took on the duties of General Manager for the 2005–2006 season.
2009 He was the Assistant coach of Team Canada"s World Junior Gold medal team Under head coach Pat Quinn and alongside other Assistant coaches Guy Boucher and Dave Cameron. From 2010 to 2012, Desjardins served as the associate head coach of the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League before being selected as the head coach of their AHL team in Cedar Park, Texas in June 2012.
On June 17, 2014, he led his Texas Stars team to their first Calder Cup Championship.
On June 23, 2014, Desjardins was hired as the head coach for the Vancouver Canucks, replacing John Tortorella, who was dismissed as head coach after one season.