Thornton puts out welcome mat for Sharks newcomer Davidson UP NEXT
SAN JOSE >> Monday was moving day for new Sharks defenseman Brandon Davidson.
Out of Joe Thornton’s house. “Yeah, Jumbo took me in,” Davidson said Monday. “Hell of a man. I have a lot of words to describe him, actually.”
Davidson, who was acquired Feb. 24 from the Calgary Flames, was in the lineup Tuesday night — filling in for the injured Jake Middleton — when the Sharks took
Wild at Sharks, Thursday, 7:30 p.m., NBCCA
on the Toronto Maple Leafs. Middleton is considered week-to-week with a lower body injury he suffered Saturday against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
After the trade, Davidson threw together some belongings and traveled from Boston, where the Flames were, to Philadelphia to meet his new team.
Davidson and Thornton have a mutual friend in former Sharks forward Devin Setoguchi. Davidson and Setoguchi, both from Taber, Alberta, are good friends and spoke to each other about the Sharks after the deal.
“Devin had known I had been traded and (he) called me right away,” Davidson said. “I think he called Jumbo and just told him about me, and that’s kind of how we got introduced, anyway. Friend of a friend.”
Thornton later asked Davidson where he was staying in San Jose. Davidson replied that he
was probably going to be at a hotel.
“And he just said, ‘No, you’re not.’ He didn’t give me a choice,” Davidson said of Thornton. “I mean, I wouldn’t have said no anyways. Joe basically said, ‘No, you’re not, you’re coming with me.’
“His wife and kids were actually in Switzerland, so he had a little bit of a empty house and I don’t know if he was lonely or just looking after me. He gave me no choice and it meant everything to me, just to be able to meet one of my favorite hockey players and also stay at his house and have him just to show me around and introduce me to everybody.”
Davidson said he stayed with Thornton for about five days. With Thornton’s family returning Monday, he figured it was time to move out.
“He was phenomenal,” Davidson said. “He took me into his home and gave me a bed and looked after me, just until I got my feet underneath me. It’s guys like that that make this league what it is.
“Jumbo Joe needs no introduction. He’s the man, and he took very good care of me. It was nice to spend a few days at his place and get settled in.”
Davidson said he went into Feb. 24, the day of the
NHL’s trade deadline, expecting to remain with the Flames. But Calgary acquired two defensemen right before the deadline, trading for Erik Gustafsson from Chicago and Derek Forbort from Los Angeles.
Suddenly the Flames had a glut of defensemen, making Davidson expendable.
“I could kind of see the writing between the lines. But I never expected to be traded at all,” Davidson said. “It did come as a bit of a surprise, but to say the least, a good surprise.
“I couldn’t have landed in a better place with a better opportunity.”
Davidson, who was paired with Tim Heed for Monday’s practice, looks at the trade as an opportunity to rejuvenate his NHL career.
Davidson was diagnosed with testicular cancer in Oct. 2012, right as he was starting his first full professional season in Oklahoma City with the Edmonton Oilers organization. He persevered, and later made his NHL debut with Edmonton on Dec. 10, 2014.
He would go on to play in 161 more NHL games from 2014-2019 with Edmonton, Montreal, the New York Islanders and Chicago. He was hampered by an injury last season with the Blackhawks, but even though he’s been healthy this season, played just seven games with Calgary, spending most of his time in the AHL with Stockton.
“I had surgery last season where I didn’t know if I was going to be able to compete as well as I have in the past,” Davidson said. “I pushed myself mentally and physically and got myself to a place where I feel happy with where I’m at and my game.
“It took some games in the minor leagues, took some games in the National League. But I’ve definitely gotten to a place where I feel comfortable and feel good about my game.”
Davidson, listed at 6-foot2, 208 pounds, played a little more than 12 minutes per game in his time with Calgary. Before his injury last season, though, he was averaging roughly 16 or 17 minutes per night.
“He seems like a great guy,” Sharks interim coach Bob Boughner said of Davidson. “Excited to be here and he works hard. He’s in great shape. I’ve watched him play a little over the years and I think he’s going to be able to help us.”
Davidson, a one-year, two-way deal, will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
“I take these last games as a tryout, and I think everybody should as well,” Davidson said. “For me, personally, I just want to play some hockey, I want to play to the best of my ability. Hopefully if I can do that, I think that I’ll be able to maybe get a job here for next season and establish myself in this organization.”