Many players build solid NHL careers despite not being drafted by any teams in the League. Davidson had it tougher; he was passed over in the Western Hockey League Bantam Draft.

He battled on, eventually landing with Regina of the WHL. During three full seasons there, the 6-foot-2, 210-pound native of Lethbridge, Alberta, was named captain of the storied junior franchise.

At the 2010 NHL Draft, Davidson was selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the sixth round (No. 162), the sort of late-round pick teams often use to fill out their minor-league rosters. That's also the kind of challenge Davidson relishes.

In his first pro season, though, Davidson faced a more serious obstacle: On Oct. 1, 2012, as he was preparing to fight for a roster spot with the Oilers' American Hockey League affiliate in Oklahoma City, Davidson was diagnosed with testicular cancer.

Davidson fought the disease head-on, opting for an aggressive, month-long course of treatment consisting of a 21-day cycle of chemotherapy. He received 13 injections, each one lasting eight hours.

The treatment worked. Davidson returned that season, playing 11 games with Stockton of the ECHL on a conditioning assignment and another 26 with Oklahoma City.

In 2013 the AHL presented him with the Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award, given annually to the player who best exemplifies sportsmanship, determination and dedication to the game. Davidson worked his way up to the Oilers during the 2014-15 season, making his NHL debut on Dec. 10, 2014 and playing four games for Edmonton that month.

He played eight more games for the Oilers late in the season, impressing with his heady, reliable play and his shot from the point. Davidson finished 2014-15 with one goal in 12 NHL games, then emerged as a top-four defenseman the next season, with four goals and seven assists in 51 games.

NOTES & TRANSACTIONS

• WHL East Second All-Star Team (2012)
• Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award (AHL -- Sportsmanship) (2013)
• Traded to Montreal by Edmonton for David Desharnais, February 28, 2017.
• Claimed on waivers by Edmonton from Montreal, December 3, 2017.
• Traded to NY Islanders by Edmonton for NY Islanders' 3rd round pick in 2019 NHL Draft, February 24, 2018.
• Signed as a free agent by Chicago, September 28, 2018.
• Signed as a free agent by Calgary, July 1, 2019.
• Traded to San Jose by Calgary for future considerations, February 24, 2020.
• Signed as a free agent by Buffalo, October 9, 2020.