A scoring winger who also possessed a gritty element to his game, Charbonneau was selected 12th overall in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft by the Montreal Canadiens.

He rebounded the next year to score 30 goals for Sherbrooke and received his first NHL action for the Canadiens, although he registered just 2 assists in 16 games.

Charbonneau's performance with the Voodoo impressed the team's GM, ex-NHL star Tiger Williams, who convinced the Canucks to give him another chance.

He was also a member of the Canuck team which went to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1994, playing in 3 playoff games and scoring a goal.

Unable to get another NHL contract, he signed in Germany, where he enjoyed 6 productive and successful seasons in the DEL before retiring from the game in 2001.