Photo credit: All Montreal Hockey / NHL
It’s starting to feel like a return to Laval is coming for Jared Davidson within the Montreal Canadiens organization.
The Canadiens’ practice was pushed back Monday morning, and the atmosphere was heavy even before the players stepped on the ice, as if management was already discussing the team’s immediate next steps.
Then, Martin St-Louis shuffled the forward lines. We saw a first trio with Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki and Zachary Bolduc, a second with Juraj Slafkovský, Oliver Kapanen and Ivan Demidov, then Alexandre Texier with Jake Evans and Josh Anderson, and finally Florian Xhekaj with Joe Veleno and Brendan Gallagher.
In this context, one detail stands out: Jared Davidson was used as the 13th forward in practice. Marc-Olivier Cook summed it up in a striking sentence:
“Ah, and Jared Davidson as an extra forward in the 13th spot. I get the impression he’s close to a return to Laval.”
– Marc-Olivier Cook
Davidson, 23, is a fifth-round pick by the Canadiens in 2022, 130th overall, and he is playing the final year of a two-season entry-level contract that carries a cap hit of $862,500 per year until 2025-2026.
Since being called up, he has played 3 games with the Canadiens this season, without a point, with a -1 rating, 2 penalty minutes, and 6 shots on goal while averaging 8 minutes and 44 seconds per game.
In Laval, the picture is completely different: with the Rocket this season, he has 9 goals and 11 points in 13 games, with 19 penalty minutes and a shooting percentage over 22%, making him one of the team’s top scorers.
Jared Davidson on the tightrope
The Rocket also have a record of 12 wins and 6 losses for 24 points, good for first place in their division, which further boosts the value of the players dominating there, like Davidson and the other young forwards.
When a young player like Davidson finds himself as the 13th forward while a veteran like Blais starts producing immediately in Laval, the message is hard to miss.
Previously on All Montreal Hockey
POLL
1 HOUR AGOÂ Â Â |Â Â Â 70 ANSWERS
All signs point to Martin St-Louis preparing a roster move after today’s practice in Brossard
Should the Canadiens send Jared Davidson back to the Rocket?