Here's what CBJ fans should know about Davidson by the numbers -- some with the Blue Jackets, some in other places.
4, 1
With Davidson overseeing the team's hockey operations department from 2012-19, Columbus made four playoff appearances, battling for the Stanley Cup in 2014, '17, '18 and '19. Included in that stretch was the franchise's first-ever postseason series win, a stunning sweep of Cup favorite Tampa Bay in 2019.
Before that, the Blue Jackets had made just one playoff appearance in 12 seasons, doing so in 2009. It was a huge turnaround for a franchise that never could quite sustain positive momentum on the ice in its first decade-plus in the capital city.
READ MORE: Davidson, Kekalainen react to JD's hiring
.570
Columbus posted a points percentage of .570 (285-209-46) during Davidson's seven-season tenure, including a franchise-best mark of .659 in 2016-17. In fact, the three best seasons in franchise history as far as points percentage -- as well as five of the top six -- have come with Davidson at the top of the hockey operations department.
9
The Blue Jackets' 285 wins during his seven-year tenure placed ninth in the NHL during that time span. Columbus was one of the most consistent teams in the league during his tenure, with three straight playoff appearances (not to mention 142 wins in that time span) cementing the team as a one of the toughest outs in the league.
50
Columbus set a team record with 50 wins -- as well as 108 points -- during the 2016-17 season, Tortorella's first full campaign. Included was history as the Blue Jackets won 16 games in a row from late November through early January, the second-longest streak in NHL history. It was a magical campaign that still holds strong memories for the CBJ faithful.
7
The Blue Jackets had seven different players earn All-Star nods with Davidson in charge, all coming from 2015-19. The list includes multiple-time honorees Seth Jones, Cam Atkinson and Sergei Bobrovsky as well as Nick Foligno and Ryan Johansen -- who both made it in 2015 when Columbus hosted the game -- plus Brandon Saad and Zach Werenski.
7
The same number applies to the team's first-round picks, as all seven first-rounders the team chose during Davidson's six-draft tenure played in the NHL. That list included standouts Werenski and Pierre-Luc Dubois; 2013 picks Alexander Wennberg, Kerby Rychel and Marko Dano; as well as Sonny Milano and Liam Foudy. First-round picks are supposed to be NHLers, but the Jackets still have a good record there at turning picks into players.
8
An even better assessment of draft success would be to look even further down through the selections, especially with Columbus holding nine picks this year, including three first-rounders. So far, in the six drafts Davidson helped oversee, eight players have played at least 100 games -- Wennberg, Dano and Oliver Bjorkstrand (2013); Milano (2014); Werenski, Vladislav Gavrikov and Markus Nutivaara (2015); and Dubois (2016).
Meanwhile, it appears such names as Elvis Merzlikins, Kevin Stenlund, Andrew Peeke, Alexander Texier, Emil Bemstrom and Foudy are well on their way, while prospects yet to debut in the NHL like Daniil Tarasov and Kirill Marchenko could easily join them. It's a pretty stout record of drafting success.
123
During his playing career, Davidson won 123 NHL games as a goalie in 10 seasons from 1974-83 despite battling injuries; in 1979, he helped the New York Rangers to the Stanley Cup Final. The Ottawa native but Western Canada-raised Davidson began his career with two seasons in St. Louis before heading to New York, where he unseated Eddie Giacomin and played the next eight campaigns before injuries forced his retirement. He played just 13 games over his last three seasons.
20
Davidson spent two decades as part of the Rangers' TV broadcasts after his retirement, and also worked nationally on multiple networks, earning him recognition as one of the top television analysts in hockey. Not only did that help make him a beloved figure in New York but around the league, as he shared the Lester Patrick Award in 2004 with fellow broadcaster Mike Emrick and executive Ray Miron, as the honor is given each year to celebrate someone who helped grow the game in the United States.
