BACK FROM INJURY, DAVIDSON GRATEFUL FOR LONG-AWAITED RETURN TO NORMALCY
Feb 16, 2022By Suzie Cool
Thirty-two.
That’s the number of games Rochester Americans defenseman Brandon Davidson missed after being sidelined shortly after the 2021-22 campaign began.
From Oct. 17 to Nov. 5, we saw Davidson hit his stride to begin his 10th season in professional hockey. In eight games, Davidson racked up five points with one goal and four assists and was named as one of the Amerks four alternate captains.
After all that time out, last week Davidson finally made his return to the lineup and Amerks head coach Seth Appert couldn’t have been more excited for the veteran defenseman to hit the ice.
“His teammates and our staff are just so happy for him because he’s back and getting to do what he loves to do. There’s nothing he loves to do more than play hockey and compete for his teammates.”
WATCH: DAVIDSON POST-GAME FEB. 9
This isn’t the first time that Davidson has missed part of season due to injury, however. He’s had two other stints in his career where he’s found himself sidelined for a period of time. Every time Davidson made his comeback, though, he’s been overwhelmed with the emotion of getting to play the game he loves again.
When returning to the lineup last Wednesday against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Davidson admitted just how hard it’s been for him to sit out for so long.
“It means everything to me,” said Davidson after the 3-1 win over the Penguins. “The guys in the locker room fought so hard and I always just wanted to be a part of that. It’s been hard not being able to be there for those guys and I think tonight kind of put that all to rest for me. I’m a little overwhelmed to say the least but very happy with how tonight worked out.”
Despite not finding himself on the scoresheet, Davidson logged ample ice time last Wednesday against the Penguins. Since then, the veteran blueliner has gone on to appear in two other games with Rochester, helping the Amerks begin their season-long five-game road swing with a 1-0-1-1 record.
Appert admitted he’s just glad to have Davidson back because, no matter who it is, it’s tough to watch a player mentally and physically sit out with a prolonged injury.
“He’s just such a great human and he’s such a great teammate,” said Appert. “It was hard to watch him go through what he’s had to go through, more emotionally than physically the last four months or whatever it has been.”
WATCH: DAVIDSON PRE-GAME FEB. 9
Davidson agrees that the mental weight off his shoulders is pretty nice, however, he wouldn’t have been able to get through that past three months without the support he felt in the locker room.
“It’s a massive weight off my shoulders for sure,” noted Davidson. “It’s hard sitting out, especially when your friends and your brothers are competing every night and you want to be a part of it. I think that really gets to you, but with the group of guys that we have, I was able to keep a level head and I knew there was a means to an end.”
Last season was the first that we saw Davidson in the Buffalo Sabres organization as he spent ample time on the taxi squad while skating in just eight games between the Sabres and Amerks. After beginning the shortened 2020-21 season appearing in six games with Buffalo and making his Sabres debut against the New York Islanders on Feb. 15, Davidson made his Amerks debut against the Syracuse Crunch April 2 and only went on to appear in two games with Rochester.
As Davidson has already surpassed his game total from last season, he’s looking forward to moving past his injury and taking the rest of the season by storm no matter where he’s at.
“I’m just happy that it’s over with, that I can get it over with and I can keep on moving forward.”