Jared Davidson signs a Standard WHL Player Agreement with the Thunderbirds on Thursday as general manager Bil La Forge looks on. COURTESY PHOTO, Brian Liesse, T-Birds

Jared Davidson signs a Standard WHL Player Agreement with the Thunderbirds on Thursday as general manager Bil La Forge looks on. COURTESY PHOTO, Brian Liesse, T-Birds

Thunderbirds sign free-agent center

Club also acquires defenseman from Kootenay; preseason play begins

  • Friday, August 31, 2018 9:17am
  • Sports

The Seattle Thunderbirds have signed center Jared Davidson to a WHL Standard Player Agreement.

Davidson was a free agent invite to training camp this year.

“We are fortunate to have seen Jared develop over the last few years and he came in and had a very good training camp,” said general manager Bil La Forge. “He really helps solidify our 2002 forward group, and we look forward to watching him develop.”

Davidson, from Edmonton, Alberta, played in 36 games with the SSAC Midget AAA team of the AMMHL last season and had 18 goals and 25 assists for 43 points with 30 penalty minutes. Davidson is 5’10 and 164 pounds and is a 2002 birth year.

“I’m super proud to be a part of this organization,” Davidson said. “The T-Birds have shown in the past they know how to win, and I look forward to helping continue that. I worked really hard in rookie camp and kept working hard in main camp. I am excited to see my hard work being rewarded.”

By signing, Davidson is guaranteed a WHL scholarship for every year he plays in the league. A player is able to attend any career enhancing institution of his choice, including universities, colleges, technical institutes or trade schools, which will help the player achieve his academic and career goals.

For each season played in the WHL, a player receives a one-year post-secondary scholarship, which includes tuition, compulsory fees and required textbooks.

Trade

The Thunderbirds this week acquired defenseman Payton McIsaac from the Kootenay Ice for a ninth-round pick in the 2019 Bantam Draft.

McIsaac, a right-handed defenseman, was added to the Ice roster this offseason from the Saskatoon Blades. In 12 career games with the Blades over three seasons McIsaac has one assist and 10 penalty minutes.

One the ice

The T-Birds begin the preseason at the Delta Hotels’ Preseason Classic in Everett – playing the Vancouver Giants at 11:30 a.m. Friday, the Everett Silvertips at 7 p.m. Saturday and the Spokane Chiefs at 3 p.m. Sunday.

Preseason play continues at the Toyota Center in Kennewick, where the T-Birds take on the Chiefs at 3 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 6, and face the Kootenay Ice at 3 p.m. Friday, Sept. 7.

The T-Birds wrap up preseason play with back-to-back games against the Everett Silvertips – on home ice at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 11, and at the Angel of the Winds Arena for a 7:05 p.m. meeting on Saturday, Sept. 15.

Tickets

Seattle opens the regular season against the Portland Winterhawks at 6:05 p.m, Saturday, Sept. 22 at the ShoWare Center.

Season tickets may be purchased by calling the T-Birds office at 253-239-7825. Single-game tickets are on sale online and at the ShoWare box office.


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