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Jared Davidson, Montreal Canadiens (David Kirouac-Imagn Images)

Jared Davidson’s Journey to the Canadiens NHL Roster

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By The Old Prof | Last updated Dec 9, 2025 2:30 PM ET

Montreal Canadiens‘ centre Jared Davidson’s early numbers don’t scream “future NHL player.” Yet, he was recently called up to the big club. The question is, can he stay in the lineup?

Davidson grew up in Edmonton, landed with the Seattle Thunderbirds in the Western Hockey League (WHL), and those first two seasons were forgettable. Two goals one season, eight the next, and a plus/minus that made you wince. Nothing special. But sometimes players grow at different speeds, and he’s one of those late bloomers who knew he had to keep chipping away.

Davidson’s First Little Breakthrough

The shortened 2020–21 WHL season didn’t help many players, but it sure helped Davidson. In 23 games, he suddenly looked bigger, steadier, more confident. Nineteen points in 23 games might not jump off the page, but for him it felt like a door cracked open. He walked through it the following season and didn’t look back.

Then came 2021–22, and that’s when his game tilted. Forty-two goals, 89 points, and he followed it with 38 goals the next season when Seattle won the WHL championship. This wasn’t a player riding shotgun on better players. He drove play. He earned attention. That’s when the Canadiens stepped in, took him in the fifth round — 130th overall — and quietly hoped the late-bloomer trend would stick.

Laval: The Same Pattern All Over Again

He hit the American Hockey League (AHL) and again started small. He scored 11 goals in his first season. Nothing to brag about, nothing to panic over. Then, 24 goals the following season, and then this fall, he came in hot: nine goals through his first 13 games. That’s not warm, that’s “if you don’t call me up soon, someone else will.”

Montreal finally pulled the trigger on Nov. 14. It wasn’t some grand prospect unveiling. It was closer to, “We need someone who works and goes up and down the rink hard.” Alex Newhook was hurt, and Davidson slid into that opening because he’d made himself impossible to ignore, and the organization was looking for a spark.

Davidson’s Life on the Fourth Line (A Rite of Passage)

Nothing fancy here. Fourth-line minutes, defensive-zone starts, straight-ahead shifts. Eight games, seven shots, 17 hits. He’s proving, “I can handle the pace, I won’t hurt you defensively, and I’ll finish my checks.” That’s how players like him survive their first trip to the NHL.

In the middle of all that grinding, he grabbed his first NHL point — an assist Sunday against the St. Louis Blues. It’s a small moment in a loss, but it settles the nerves. He’s on the board. He’s not just passing through. Davidson did something tangible.

Still an Open Question: Where Does This Go?

Here’s the honest part: I don’t know where his ceiling is. I don’t think Montreal knows either. If he wants a real foothold in the NHL, it’ll be as a pace-and-pressure centre on a checking line. Maybe he pops in a few goals. Perhaps he becomes one of those players coaches trust, even if fans barely notice.

Montreal Canadiens recall Jared Davidson, provide medical updates on Kaiden Guhle & Alex Newhookhttps://t.co/7EeCRX3f3I
— Eyes On The Prize (@HabsEOTP) November 14, 2025

But he’s earned every step so far. That’s the part I keep coming back to. No shortcuts, no hype, no anointing. Just a 23-year-old player who keeps getting better each year.

Davidson A Player You Don’t Bet Against

If you’re looking at one thing to predict his future, look at this: every season since he was a teenager, he has taken a step forward. That’s a pattern you can bet on. That’s a player you keep around.

And now he’s right at that edge — the spot where the league decides if he’s going to stick or slide back down. One point in eight games isn’t a headline. But it’s a beginning, and Davidson has made more out of smaller beginnings before.