by Warren Rappleyea
With 20 victories in 27 games standing between the pipes, the Ottawa Junior Senators’ William Desmarais has established himself as one of the top netminders in the Central Canada Hockey League.
Ottawa’s 102 goals allowed is the second lowest in the league and the Sherbrooke, Québec native
leads the league in wins and also owns a sparkling 2.04 goals against average, good for second in the CCHL. Desmarais’s save percentage checks in at .927. He now has three shutouts on the year, including a 1-0 clean sheet against Renfrew on March 9th that halted a three-game losing streak.
“This season has been like a dream,” he said. “You always want your team to be in first-place all the time and it almost never happens. This is a tough league with a lot of very good players. So far, our team has exceeded all my expectations.”
Ottawa coach Kyle Makaric, who took the helm in August, was immediately impressed with Desmarais.
“Not only is he a great competitor and a skilled goaltender, but he is an exceptional teammate and someone who lights up the room when he is in there,” the Junior Senators coach said. “His energy and positive attitude are contagious to our group. The way he works in practice and the standard he holds himself to is also great to watch.”
Desmarais spent the 2020-21 season with the Manitoba Hockey League’s Selkirk Steelers. With the pandemic raging, it was difficult to be so far from home. His friend, Charles-Antoine Girard, who played for the Junior Senators last season informed then GM-Coach Martin Dagenais about Desmarais. The Steelers, in turn, allowed the goalie to practice with Ottawa.
Liking what they saw, the Junior Sens traded for the 20-year-old during the summer. As Makaric pointed out, Desmarais quickly fit in with his new teammates.
“All winning teams play a 200-foot game and that’s what the coaches stress here in Ottawa,” he said. “It was like that when I played in Quebec, too. You have to be good defensively, to be good offensively. If you’re allowing five goals a game, chances are you won’t win very often.”
Desmarais has had a hand in many of those wins as the Junior Senators have compiled the best record in the CCHL to date. He was named to the all-star team earlier in the year and was also the league’s Performer of the Month for November. He recently garnered the Player of the Week Award in week 16 of the CCHL season as well.
At 5-9, 180 pounds Desmarais is not considered big for a goalie. Nevertheless, he sees this as an advantage because it makes him play more aggressively.
“I’m pretty athletic and I can do things many bigger goalkeepers can’t do,” he explained. “My quickness is a real asset, so I like to stay square as much as possible. I can also do things shooters don’t expect like get out quickly and challenge them.”
Although he played just about every position when he first started playing the game, Desmarais knew he wanted to be a goalie early on. The fact that his uncle, Yannick, was a successful netminder in the QMJHL certainly influenced the youngster. He gradually moved up through the ranks, culminating with a year at the Collège Champlain in Lennoxville.
“My parents (Karyna and François) played a big part in my development.” Desmarais said. “They stressed that playing should be fun, not something you have to do. They were right. I play because I love it.”
With the playoffs on the horizon, Desmarais said that he and his teammates are focused on maintaining their high level of play. He believes the league’s six-week layoff—because of the pandemic—may have helped the team.
“You never know when something like that happens,” he explained. “But all of our guys took care of themselves and when we started playing again everyone on our team was in shape, focused and ready to play.”
Makaric noted that the young goalie also kept his edge and picked up where he left off once the season resumed.
“He’s a leader and a very important piece of our puzzle,” the coach said. “The success he has had so far this season is no surprise to us here. Will is very driven and I can’t wait to watch him down the stretch run and into the playoffs.”
