MONDAY FEATURE: Roller Coaster Ride Of A Season For Davidson Stops In Cleveland

Consider signing up for a subscription so we can continue to bring you exclusive first-reports, prospect features and stories from around the American Hockey League (AHL).

Quick. Easy. Support original journalism!

Consider signing up for a subscription so we can continue to bring you stories like this one and many more.

Sign up today. Quick. Easy. Support original journalism -> http://www.insideahlhockey.com/subscribe

You might remember seeing his viral Instagram post at the end of September.

"I'm back from Russia, what a mistake. This is my job application. 210 lbs, 6'2, will work like a horse. Any takers you won't be disappointed."

For veteran defenseman Brandon Davidson, his 11th year of pro hockey began with an absolute nightmare.

After a decade of pro hockey in North America, Davidson had earned 180 games in NHL the hard way - scattered across 7 teams with the Edmonton Oilers, Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders, Chicago Blackhawks, Calgary Flames, San Jose Sharks and Buffalo Sabres.

The COVID pandemic had really messed with the free agent market for aging fringe players over the past several off-seasons, forcing several career minor league players in the American Hockey League (AHL) and also the ECHL into early retirement and new careers.

Davidson had an agreement in place to give pro hockey overseas a chance in the KHL with the Kunlun Red Star, a newer team in the league based out of Beijing, China but because of COVID restrictions in the country was playing their home games in Moscow, Russia.

Upon arriving in Moscow for training camp in late September, Davidson learned through Kunlun Red Star's medical training staff during pre-camp off-ice testing that they would not provide medical insurance to Davidson.

"I showed up there, and I wasn't able to get insured because of a heart murmur," Davidson explained to InsideAHLHockey.com. "And that's when I came back. It really kind of messed with getting a job really. NHL camps were full. AHL camps were full."

With nowhere to play, and no offers coming his way with all 32 NHL and AHL organizations having already extended out training camp invites and practicing, Davidson headed back home to Lethbridge, Alberta Canada.

"I had to be a little patient. That was a little scary at times," Davidson recalled.

Once home, he was fortunate enough to workout and train on the ice with his hometown junior hockey team, the WHL's Lethbridge Hurricanes.

"I was grateful I was able to do that and kind of keep up with the speed because of that talented group of kids," Davidson said of his time training with the Hurricanes, adding, "They really helped me."

Davidson spent nearly six weeks in Lethbridge before finally getting his chance to get back to the pro ranks in North America - returning to a familiar spot in the AHL with the Rochester Americans on a pro tryout contract, a team - and Sabres oragnization, in general - that he had played for through the pandemic the past two seasons.

He made his 2022-23 season debut in a pair of Amerks games in Laval, Quebec against the Montreal Canadiens' AHL affiliate Laval Rocket at the end of October - appearing in nine games with Rochester and recording one assist before that PTO suddenly came to an end.

Another twist and turn in the road for Davidson, but a positive one, came at the end of November as injuries and call ups affecting the Columbus Blue Jackets saw their AHL affiliate Cleveland Monsters steal Davidson from their North Division counterpart in Rochester and sign him to an AHL contract good for the remainder of the 2022-23 season.

"I knew that all I needed to do was get on the ice and you know, injuries happen throughout the season, whether that be in the [AHL] or in the NHL, and guys move up and down quite a bit," Davidson, a veteran who has been through plenty of that up-and-down movement throughout his pro career, explained. "I'm glad it landed here in Cleveland, I'm happy to be a part of it."

Now with the Monsters, Davidson has been on the team's top pairing on the left side - mentoring the Blue Jackets' 2022-1st round selection in sixth overall pick defenseman David Jiricek.

"I think it's really good that, you know, I can kind of help him and it's really nice playing in that top pairing again - especially after the run-around that I had this year of stuff," Davidson said of playing on the left with the highly-regarded and recently turned 19-year-old defenseman on his right side.

For first-year head coach Trent Vogelhuber, the blue line wasn't a position of need at the beginning of the season but as he's quickly learning that depth can disappear quickly in the AHL. Luckily for Vogelhuber and the Monsters, a player of Davidson's caliber was a no-brainer when it came time to adding a reliable veteran defender capable of playing big minutes in all-situations at the AHL level.

It was really a perfect fit for both parties from the get-go. And there was also familiarity with Davidson from Vogelhuber's staff as Monsters assistant coach Mark Letestu played with Davidson when the latter was breaking into the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers from 2015-18.

"It's only been a handful of games here, not even, but already it's paying dividends," Vogelhuber told InsideAHLHockey.com after Saturday night's 3-2 setback. "Just from in the room and helping our young defenseman in those key moments the high pressure moments."

For Davidson, it's certainly not how envisioned the start of his season would go - but ultimately he landed on his feet in a good situation on a team that definitely needed a blueliner with experience to help stabilize the group's young core of defense prospects learning their way.

"I'm just trying to do anything I can to help," the 31-year-old Davidson said of being a veteran leader on his new team. "All hands on deck and I'm always available and I think that it's been so far a good reaction from the group. We're having fun and I think that it gives them a little bit of direction as well."

Consider signing up for a subscription so we can continue to bring you exclusive first-reports, prospect features and stories from around the American Hockey League (AHL).

Sign up today. Quick. Easy. Support original journalism!

Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/InsideAHLHockeyPayPal: $3/month -> http://paypal.me/TonyAndrockVenmo: $3/month -> InsideAHLHockey

FULL DETAILS -> http://www.insideahlhockey.com/subscribe