In 2006, Desjardins was invited to the Chicago Blackhawks training camp before signing a two-year contract with the Hamilton Bulldogs of the American Hockey League on July 26, 2006. For the 2006–07 season on October 11, 2006 the Bulldogs assigned Desjardins to the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL in which after his first week as a professional he was named the ECHL's "Reebok" player of the week. He was re-called to the Hamilton Bulldogs on December 5, 2007 when Jaroslav Halak was called up to the NHL's Montreal Canadiens. He was again called up on February 26, 2008, following Montreal's trade of Cristobal Huet.