Laurier-Station is a village of 2,600 residents situated in southern Quebec. It is a virtual galaxy removed from the epicenter of interest through the winter months across a hockey-mad province: the Bell Centre in Montreal, home of the fabled Canadiens.

Desharnais, born and raised in Laurier-Station, has succeeded in crossing that galaxy after going undrafted and initially being deemed too small to survive in the hurly-burly world of the NHL.

The 5-foot-7 playmaker is a center capable of moving from the fourth line to the first and back again, being switched out to left wing on occasion and playing in all sorts of situations.

He had more than 100 points twice in four seasons with Chicoutimi of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and won the league's Frank J. Selke Trophy as most sportsmanlike player three times. It wasn't enough to convince any NHL team to draft him.

But his home-province team, on a flier, threw the shifty pivot a lifeline: a 2007 training-camp invitation. That audition netted Desharnais an assignment with Cincinnati of the East Coast Hockey League. There he led the league with 106 points in 2007-08, then tacked on another 33 in 22 playoff games as Cincinnati captured the Kelly Cup.

For an outstanding first season of pro hockey, he was feted as the ECHL's MVP and Rookie of the Year and named to its first all-star team.

The next year brought a step up in class, to Hamilton of the American Hockey League. He spent the next two-plus seasons there before a call-up to the Canadiens midway through 2010-11.

Desharnais had 22 points in 43 games with Montreal that season, then had 60 points in 81 games in 2011-12, solidifying his position in the organization.