Canadian national junior team head coach Willie Desjardins yells instructions during practice, Monday, December 14, 2009 at the team's selection camp for the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Regina. The Vancouver Canucks have hired Desjardins as their new head coach. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
June 23, 2014 - 9:13 AM
VANCOUVER - The Vancouver Canucks have hired Willie Desjardins as their new head coach.
It's the first NHL head coaching job for the native of Climax, Sask., who most recently led the AHL's Texas Stars to a Calder Cup championship.
Prior to joining Texas for the 2012-13 season, Desjardins coached the Medicine Hat Tigers for eight seasons, leading them to two Western Hockey League titles.
Desjardins' resume also includes stints on Canada's staff at two world junior tournaments and one world championship, as well as time coaching with the University of Calgary and in Japan.
The 57-year-old Desjardins succeeds John Tortorella, who was fired after just one year behind the Canucks bench.
Tortorella and former Canucks president and general manager Mike Gillis were casualties of Vancouver's disappointing season that saw the Canucks miss the playoffs for the first time since 2008.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2014