Rob Davison
Robert W. Davison | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 1, 1980 Canada |
| Occupation(s) | Ice hockey defenceman, coach |
| Years active | 1996–2014 (player), 2014–present (coach) |
| Known for | Playing in the NHL for San Jose Sharks, New York Islanders, Vancouver Canucks, New Jersey Devils; coaching Toronto Marlies |
Robert W. Davison (born May 1, 1980) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman and current coach. Throughout his playing career, he competed in the National Hockey League (NHL) representing the San Jose Sharks, New York Islanders, Vancouver Canucks, and New Jersey Devils. Following his retirement from playing, Davison transitioned into coaching, including a role as assistant coach with the Toronto Marlies, the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Playing career
Davison launched his junior hockey journey with the St. Michael's Buzzers in the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League during the 1996–97 season before advancing to the North Bay Centennials of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). After accumulating 11 points across 59 contests, he was selected 98th overall by the San Jose Sharks in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. He continued in junior hockey for two additional seasons prior to making his professional debut with the Kentucky Thoroughblades, San Jose's AHL farm team, in 2000–01.
The franchise relocated to Cleveland in 2001–02, becoming the Barons, where Davison netted his first professional goal. In the 2002–03 season, following a trade involving a Sharks defenceman, Davison earned a call-up to the NHL and made his debut. He scored his inaugural NHL goal during his third appearance and ended that campaign with three points over 15 games.
During the NHL lockout of 2004–05, Davison competed for the Cardiff Devils in Britain's Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL), tallying seven goals and totaling 15 points over 50 games as his team finished as runners-up in the Challenge Cup.
In the 2005–06 season, Davison recorded a personal best of six points while appearing in 69 games for San Jose. On February 26, 2008, he was traded to the New York Islanders in exchange for a seventh-round draft choice. A highlight of his tenure with the Islanders came on March 18, 2008, when he scored an uncommon shorthanded goal from near his own net.
Davison inked a one-year contract worth $560,000 with the Vancouver Canucks on July 10, 2008, joining under newly appointed general manager Mike Gillis, who had previously been his agent. The following year on July 31, 2009, he signed with the New Jersey Devils but spent most of that season playing for their AHL affiliate, the Lowell Devils.
After two seasons competing overseas with HC Oceláři Třinec in the Czech Republic and EC Red Bull Salzburg in Austria, Davison returned to San Jose on a one-year two-way contract in July 2013. He served as captain for their AHL affiliate Worcester Sharks and celebrated his 700th professional game on December 31, 2013. His career totals included experience spanning NHL (219 games), AHL (345 games), and European leagues (136 games).
Coaching career
On July 26, 2014, Davison retired from playing to assume an assistant coaching position with EC Red Bull Salzburg. After contributing to two championship victories over two years there, he departed following the conclusion of the 2015–16 season to take an assistant coaching role with HC Dinamo Minsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). On July 17, 2017, Davison was appointed assistant coach of the Toronto Marlies, where he was part of the staff that secured the Calder Cup during the 2017–18 season.
Career statistics
2007–08 NHL season | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | 2007–08 NHL season | New York Islanders | NHL | 19 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | 2008–09 NHL season | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 23 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 51 | — | — | — | — | — | 2009–10 AHL season | Lowell Devils | AHL | 70 | 4 | 13 | 17 | 182 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 2009–10 NHL season | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | 2010–11 AHL season | Albany Devils | AHL | 63 | 4 | 14 | 18 | 151 | 2011–12 Czech Extraliga season | HC Oceláři Třinec | Czech Extraliga | 19 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 2011–12 Austrian Hockey League season | EC Red Bull Salzburg | Austrian Hockey League | 14 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 35 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 2012–13 Austrian Hockey League season | EC Red Bull Salzburg | EBEL | 53 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 54 | 8 | 2013–14 AHL season | Worcester Sharks | AHL | 65 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 113 || Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1996–97 | St. Michael's Buzzers | OPJHL | 45 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 93 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | ||
| 1997–98 | North Bay Centennials | OHL | 59 | 0 | 11 | 11 | 200 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998–99 | North Bay Centennials | OHL | 59 | 2 | 17 | 19 | 150 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 12 | ||
| 1999–00 | North Bay Centennials | OHL | 67 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 194 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | ||
| 2000–01 | Kentucky Thoroughblades | AHL | 72 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 230 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2001–02 | Cleveland Barons | AHL | 70 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 206 | |||||||
| 2002–03 | Cleveland Barons | AHL | 42 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 82 | |||||||
| 2002–03 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 15 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 22 | |||||||
| 2003–04 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 55 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 92 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 2004–05 | Cardiff Devils | EIHL | 50 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 160 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 12 | ||
| 2005–06 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 69 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 76 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2006–07 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 22 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 27 | |||||||
24 | | ||||||||||||||
| colspan="3" ! NHL totals !219 !3 !15 !18 !321 !6 !0 !2 !2 !4 | ||||||||||||||
Awards and achievements
- Defensive Player of the Year, North Bay Centennials - 2000
- Scholastic Player of the Year, North Bay Centennials - 2000
- European Trophy Winner (as Captain) - 2011
- Austrian League Champion - 2015, 2016
- EBEL Titleholder - 2015, 2016
- Calder Cup Winner - 2018