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VANCOUVER - Willie Desjardins has built champions in major junior hockey and the AHL. Now hell get the chance in the sports biggest league. Desjardins was hired as head coach of the Vancouver Canucks on Monday. Its his first NHL head coaching job, and hell join new president of hockey operations Trevor Linden and first-time NHL general manager Jim Benning as the Canucks rebuild following a disappointing 2013-14 campaign. "Ive been looking forward to this opportunity for a long time," said the 57-year-old Desjardins, whose coaching career has taken him from Japan to the Canadian national program, and from the WHL to the minor leagues, since he was first hired as an assistant with the University of Calgary in 1985. "To be part of such a great organization and NHL city is just a real honour." Desjardins was also rumoured to be a candidate to take over in Pittsburgh, where the Penguins boast a roster that includes superstars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. The former coach of the WHLs Medicine Hat Tigers said a chance to return to Canada was too good to pass up. "Sidney Crosbys a heck of a hockey player obviously, but for me, when I looked at what was here — I looked at the two guys who are leading this (Benning and Linden), I looked at the quality of the players ... Canadian market, Vancouver fans — it was the right choice to come here." Desjardins, a native of Climax, Sask., most recently led the AHLs Texas Stars to a Calder Cup championship. He spent two years with Texas, winning the AHLs coach of the year award in 2012-13 when he led the Stars to their first ever South Division regular season title and the number one seed in the Western Conference for the 2013 playoffs. Prior to his tenure in the AHL, Desjardins spent two seasons as an associate coach with the Dallas Stars from 2010 to 2012. He also served as head coach (2002-2010) and general manager (2005-2010) of the Tigers, where he led the team to two Memorial Cup tournaments, including an appearance in the 2007 final. Desjardins was named WHL coach of the year for the 2005-06 season, and was also the recipient of the Brian Kilrea Coach of the Year Award as the top coach in the Canadian Hockey League in 2006. Desjardins resume also includes stints on Canadas staff at two world junior tournaments and one world championship, as well as time coaching with the University of Calgary and in Japan. "Ive watched Willies teams play over the last 12 years," Benning said. "His teams play fast and work extremely hard. They play an up-tempo hard-skating kind of game. His teams play with that relentless attitude that we want our players to play with." Desjardins becomes the 18th head coach in club history and 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 Vancouvers disappointing season that saw the Canucks miss the playoffs for the first time since 2008. Desjardins says he thinks the Canucks can become a playoff contender again. "We have so many great leaders on this team, and to get to be part of that group, Im looking forward to it," Desjardins said. "Theyve won in the past, theyll win again." Fake Soccer Jerseys . Smiths former Atlanta teammates were glad to hang on for an ugly win. Cheap Soccer Jerseys .C. - Canadian ice dancing, it seems, is in good hands. https://www.soccerjerseyschina.us/ . Now the Minnesota Vikings have set their sights on soccer. Wholesale Soccer Jerseys China . Floundering in the English Premier League, United has delivered better performances in Europe this season and stunned Bayern by taking the lead against the run of play through Nemanja Vidics header in the 58th minute. Bayern had dominated possession but struggled to create a clear-cut chance before Schweinsteiger arrowed a half-volley high into the net in the 67th to give the German side a slight advantage ahead of the second leg in Munich next week. Clearance Soccer Jerseys . HEROES P.K. Subban – Scored the overtime winner and assisted on Montreal’s earlier goal, both on the power play, in a 2-1 win over Nashville.CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Mallory Blackwelder won the Symetra Classic on Saturday for her first Symetra Tour title, closing with a 5-under 67 for a two-stroke victory. The 26-year-old former Kentucky player had a 10-under 206 total at Raintree Country Club. "It feels amazing," said Blackwelder, the daughter of former Kentucky coach and LPGA Tour player and Myra Blackwelder and tour caddie Worth Blackwelder. "I have been thinking about this moment for a long, long time and its really surreal. "I didnt look at the leaderboard on the back nine, so I wasnt really sure what kind of position I was in. I knew obviously that I was playing great, so walking up to the 18th I saw that I had a three-shot lead and I was on the green, so I knew that I was on cruise control and that just felt amazing." She earned $15,000 to jump from 24th to sixth on the money with $24,721. The final top 10 will earn 2015 LPGA Tour cards. "I just played really solid all week," said Blackweldeer, who opened with rounds of 69 and 70.dddddddddddd "Last week, my mom, whos pretty much my swing coach and teacher, came on Sunday to Asheville and we worked on my short game a lot. "I had a lot of easy up-and-downs last week, but I wasnt converting, so we just made a few tweaks. I changed my putting setup a little bit. "My posture had just gotten a little slumped, so I just stood taller to it this week. I putted great and I hit the ball great." Her mother watched her win Sunday, "It just couldnt be better," Blackwelder said. "She hasnt gotten to watch me play a whole lot the last couple of years, so its just amazing that she could be here." Emily Talley was second after a 68. Min Seo Kwak was third at 7 under after a 69, and Kendall Dye was another stroke back after a 72. Cindy Feng, Demi Runas, Krista Puisite and Olivia Jordan-Higgins tied for fifth at 5 under. Feng and Runas shot 70, Puisite had a 73, and Jordan-Higgins a 74. ' ' '