Davidson: 'I definitely consider Seattle my second home'

MONTREAL -- If Jared Davidson wasn't playing in Spokane tonight, he'd be in the Climate Pledge Arena stands.

It's a quick 35-minute drive from his billet house in the Seattle suburb of Covington, WA to the home of the Kraken, but the schedule makers have him facing the Chiefs instead of watching the Canadiens close out their road trip.
That suits Davidson just fine, though, because every appearance with the Thunderbirds is another opportunity to create some memories in his fifth and final WHL season.
The 20-year-old center, who hails from Edmonton, has spent his entire junior career in the Pacific Northwest. He was a free-agent invite to Seattle's training camp in 2018, and was subsequently signed to a standard player agreement by general manager Bil La Forge.
And the rest is history…
"I've been here since I was 16. I definitely consider Seattle my second home. Moving away at a young age was tough, but living with billets and teammates made it easier. Being around the right group of guys kind of changed who I was as a person and kind of put me down the right path. Coming here and playing has been the best thing for me," explained Davidson, a fifth-round selection (130th overall) in July. "Growing up with the city and seeing how everything works in a different country has definitely been a huge learning experience for me, too. Seattle is a big part of who I am today."

Things didn't necessarily click immediately on the ice, however.
Davidson struggled to put up numbers during his first two seasons after making the jump from Midget AAA. He registered four points in 48 games in his rookie year in 2018-19 and 16 points in 59 games in 2019-20, before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the remainder of the campaign to be canceled.
That's when he made the best of a bad situation, so to speak, with the assistance of several Alberta-based professionals - strength and conditioning coach, Kevin Masters, skills coach, Stephen Zipp, and cognitive and visual performance specialist, Jaci Freeman.
"I think the turnaround for me started in that COVID year when we had a huge offseason. I went back to Edmonton for probably 10 months and really focused on the skills I needed to improve on - reading the game a little better, improving my mental game a lot, and just coming in with a lot more confidence," shared Davidson, an alternate captain. "I worked hard that whole time. There were really no breaks because I expected we'd be coming back, and then it kept getting pushed back, so I was on the ice all the time and I had a lot of free time to work on my personal stuff. As much as COVID sucked, it ended up really helping me out."
His production improved to 19 points in 23 games during the 2020-21 season, which was limited to 24 contests due to the ongoing pandemic.
That set the stage for last year's offensive outburst that clearly caught the eye of general manager Kent Hughes and the rest of the Habs' brass entering the NHL Draft.
Davidson was the eighth-leading scorer in the League during the regular season with a team-best 42 goals and 89 points in 64 games, before helping the Thunderbirds reach the WHL Finals with 13 goals and 29 points in 25 playoff apperances.
He ranked second in postseason scoring behind only Dallas Stars prospect Logan Stankoven.

The fact that he didn't hoist the Ed Chynoweth Cup in the end, though, is extra motivation to push even harder this time around, especially with his time in Washington state coming to a close.
"Making it to the Finals against Edmonton and losing, it kind of put a chip on our shoulder as a team. We're hungry to get back there, and we're looking each and every day to get better and hopefully have a better outcome," insisted Davidson, who went head-to-head with defenseman Kaiden Guhle for the WHL's top prize in June. "I'm hoping we can go all the way and win. That would be a dream come true."
Davidson is unquestionably a pivotal piece of the puzzle for head coach Matt O'Dette's contingent in their championship quest. He's currently tied for the team lead in scoring with 28 points (12 goals, 16 assists), has compiled a plus-17 differential, and boasts a 59.5 percent success rate in the faceoff circle.
His most recent goal on Teddy Bear Toss Night over the weekend at the ShoWare Center was a true favorite.
"It was cool to be able to get the recognition, especially with all the teddy bears flying on the ice. All the support that we have from our fans is incredible. We bring their energy onto the ice with us. I'm just soaking in everything right now, every single game that we get to play at home. It's been very special playing here in Seattle and having the support," expressed Davidson. "I'm going to miss it. I've had good years here. I've definitely made lifelong friends."

Among them are the four members of his billet family, Chris and Gina Williams, and their sons Jacksen and Evan.
He's forever grateful for their kindness and support.
"I've been with the family for four years now. I'm their first billet ever. I've seen their kids grow up. I consider them a second family. They treat me so well, just like one of their own, so I love it. I can't say enough good things about them. They go to basically every single game, so they've seen me evolve as a player, too," praised Davidson, who cites deep-sea salmon fishing with the Williams clan as a favorite activity. "My mom and my billet mom are actually best friends. They're always talking on the phone and texting. They even went on vacation together this past summer."
Davidson isn't leaving the Williams' abode just yet, of course, since there's a lot of season left.
And he wants to make it last as long as possible.
What will he take away from his stay with the Thunderbirds when it finally ends in 2023?
"Being at the rink all day long and being with the guys. Everyone says that junior hockey is their favorite time of their life, so I'm just enjoying every day with the team and being together," said Davidson. "Spending every day with my teammates is very special right now."
Photo credit: Brian Liesse