Brandon Davidson (born August 21, 1991) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently playing with HC Kometa Brno of the Czech Extraliga (ELH). He has previously played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Buffalo Sabres, San Jose Sharks, Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks, New York Islanders, Montreal Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers, who selected him in the sixth-round, 162nd overall, in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft and Färjestad BK (SHL).

Brandon Davidson
Davidson with the New York Islanders in 2018
Born (1991-08-21) August 21, 1991 (age 33)
Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 208 lb (94 kg; 14 st 12 lb)
Position Defence
Shoots Left
ELH team
Former teams
HC Kometa Brno
Färjestad BK
Edmonton Oilers
Montreal Canadiens
New York Islanders
Chicago Blackhawks
Calgary Flames
San Jose Sharks
Buffalo Sabres
NHL draft 162nd overall, 2010
Edmonton Oilers
Playing career 2011–present

Playing career

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Junior

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Prior to playing professional hockey, Davidson played junior with the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League. Davidson was named the Pats Rookie of the Year after the 2009–10 season.[1] Davidson was selected in the sixth round, 162nd overall by the Edmonton Oilers during the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. In his final season of junior hockey, Davidson served as the Pats captain.

 
Davidson with the Regina Pats.

Professional

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Davidson signed his first professional contract with the Oilers on May 31, 2012.[2] During his first full professional season with the Oklahoma City Barons of the American Hockey League (AHL), Davidson was diagnosed with testicular cancer after a routine medical exam.[3] He underwent surgery and chemotherapy before being cleared to return to playing hockey. Davidson started his return to hockey with the Stockton Thunder of the ECHL.[3] He was named the winner of the Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award in 2013, as the AHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of sportsmanship, determination and dedication to hockey.[4]

On February 28, 2017, Davidson was traded by the Oilers to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for David Desharnais.[5] During the 2017–18 season, Davidson was waived by the Canadiens on December 2, 2017,[6] and was reclaimed by the Oilers on December 3.[7] Davidson recorded his first multi-goal game on January 25, 2018 with two goals against the Calgary Flames, and was also the first time he earned a first star in a game.[8]

On February 24, 2018, Davidson was traded by the Oilers to the New York Islanders in exchange for a 2019 third-round pick.[9] Davidson joined the Islanders for the final stretch of the season, appearing in 15 games and collecting a goal and assist as the club fell short of the post-season.

As an impending restricted free agent, Davidson was not tendered a qualifying offer by the Islanders resulting in his status as a free agent on June 25, 2018.[10] On August 28, 2018, it was announced that Davidson would attend the Chicago Blackhawks' training camp on a professional tryout.[11] On September 27, 2018, the Blackhawks signed Davidson to a one-year contract worth $650,000.[12]

On July 1, 2019, Davidson signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Calgary Flames.[13] He spent majority of the season with the Flames' American League affiliate, the Stockton Heat. Davidson also skated in seven games for the Flames. On February 24, 2020, he was traded to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for future considerations.[14] Davidson made his Sharks' debut on March 3 in a 5–2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.[15] He appeared in only 5 games with the Sharks before the remainder of the regular season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a free agent from the Sharks, Davidson continued his journeyman career by agreeing to a one-year, two-way contract with his seventh NHL club, the Buffalo Sabres, on October 9, 2020.[16] He appeared in just 6 games with the Sabres during the pandemic delayed 2020–21 season, going scoreless.

As a free agent, Davidson opted to remain within the Sabres organization, agreeing to a one-year, two-way contract extension on July 28, 2021.[17]

As a free agent from the Sabres, Davidson elected to continue his career overseas. On August 30, 2022, it was announced that Davidson had signed a two-year deal with Kunlun Red Star of the Kontinental Hockey League.[18] Davidson never appeared with the Red Star, negating his deal and opting to remain in North America and continue his tenure with the Rochester Americans after signing a professional tryout on October 26, 2022 to begin the 2022–23 season.[19] Davidson registered 1 assist through 9 games with the Amerks, before he was released from his PTO on November 28, 2022.[20] On the following day, Davidson continued his tenure in the AHL by immediately signing contract for the remainder of the season with the Cleveland Monsters, the primary affiliate to the Columbus Blue Jackets.[21]

Davidson made 27 regular season appearances with the Monsters registering 6 points before he ended his contract in order to immediately join his first Swedish club, Färjestad BK of the SHL, on February 15, 2023.[22]

Career statistics

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    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2007–08 Olds Grizzlys AJHL 3 0 0 0 2
2008–09 Olds Grizzlys AJHL 4 0 4 4 0
2009–10 Regina Pats WHL 59 1 33 34 37
2010–11 Regina Pats WHL 72 8 44 52 71
2010–11 Oklahoma City Barons AHL 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
2011–12 Regina Pats WHL 69 13 36 49 83 4 0 1 1 6
2012–13 Oklahoma City Barons AHL 26 2 3 5 14 17 0 6 6 2
2012–13 Stockton Thunder ECHL 11 7 5 12 4
2013–14 Oklahoma City Barons AHL 68 5 8 13 58 3 0 1 1 0
2014–15 Oklahoma City Barons AHL 55 4 6 10 43 10 1 1 2 12
2014–15 Edmonton Oilers NHL 12 1 0 1 0
2015–16 Edmonton Oilers NHL 51 4 7 11 20
2016–17 Edmonton Oilers NHL 28 0 1 1 16
2016–17 Montreal Canadiens NHL 10 0 2 2 4 3 0 0 0 0
2017–18 Montreal Canadiens NHL 13 0 1 1 9
2017–18 Edmonton Oilers NHL 23 3 1 4 10
2017–18 New York Islanders NHL 15 1 1 2 4
2018–19 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 10 0 1 1 15
2018–19 Rockford IceHogs AHL 6 1 0 1 5
2019–20 Stockton Heat AHL 34 3 17 20 19
2019–20 Calgary Flames NHL 7 0 0 0 0
2019–20 San Jose Sharks NHL 5 0 0 0 0
2020–21 Buffalo Sabres NHL 6 0 0 0 4
2020–21 Rochester Americans AHL 2 0 0 0 0
2021–22 Rochester Americans AHL 23 1 5 6 38 6 0 0 0 10
2022–23 Rochester Americans AHL 9 0 1 1 7
2022–23 Cleveland Monsters AHL 27 3 3 6 14
NHL totals 180 9 14 23 82 3 0 0 0 0

Awards and honours

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Award Year
WHL
East Second All-Star Team 2012
AHL
Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award 2013

References

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  1. ^ "Davidson, Brandon". National Hockey League. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  2. ^ "Oilers agree to terms with Davidson". Edmonton Oilers. May 31, 2012. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  3. ^ a b Van Diest, Derek (September 10, 2013). "After overcoming cancer, Edmonton Oilers prospect Brandon Davidson can handle on-ice challenges". Edmonton Sun. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  4. ^ "Brandon Davidson". Oklahoma City Barons. Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  5. ^ "Canadiens acquire Brandon Davidson from Oilers for David Desharnais". Sportsnet.ca. February 28, 2017. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
  6. ^ "Lines and D pairings – December 2". National Hockey League. December 2, 2017. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
  7. ^ "RELEASE: Oilers claim Davidson from Montreal". National Hockey League. December 3, 2017. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
  8. ^ Van Diest, Derek. "Oilers win in shootout, defeat Flames for seventh straight time". National Hockey League. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
  9. ^ "Islanders Acquire Davidson". National Hockey League. February 24, 2018. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
  10. ^ "Islanders will not qualify Quine, Prince and Davidson". eyesonisles.com. June 26, 2018. Retrieved June 26, 2018.
  11. ^ Matheson, Jim. "Former Edmonton Oilers defenceman Brandon Davidson is off to Blackhawks camp". Edmonton Sun. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
  12. ^ Wescott, Chris (September 27, 2018). "FEATURE: Davidson chose the Blackhawks and they returned the favor". National Hockey League. Retrieved September 27, 2018.
  13. ^ "Flames sign Brandon Davidson". Calgary Flames. July 1, 2019. Retrieved July 1, 2019.
  14. ^ "Sharks acquire defenseman Brandon Davidson for future considerations". San Jose Sharks. February 24, 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  15. ^ "Maple Leafs lose to Sharks, fail to gain in Atlantic race". San Jose Sharks. March 3, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  16. ^ "Sabres sign Davidson to one-year deal". Buffalo Sabres. October 9, 2020. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  17. ^ "Sabres re-sign Davidson to one-year deal". Buffalo Sabres. July 28, 2021. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  18. ^ "Brandon Davidson inked two-year deal with Kunlun Red Star". Twitter. August 30, 2022. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  19. ^ Rochester Americans (October 26, 2022). "Amerks sign Brandon Davidson to PTO". Twitter. Retrieved October 26, 2022.
  20. ^ Rochester Americans (November 28, 2022). "Rochester release Brandon Davidson from PTO". Twitter. Retrieved November 28, 2022.
  21. ^ "Monsters sign veteran defenseman Brandon Davidson to AHL contract". Cleveland Monsters. November 29, 2022. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  22. ^ "Defenseman Davidson for FBK" (in Swedish). Färjestad BK. February 15, 2023. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
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