Jake Davis - Biography [1/2]

[Josh 1,670]

Jake Davis - Biography

 

 

Getting Started

Jake Davis was born June 17^th, 1999 in Winnipeg, Manitoba to Miles and Betty Davis. His father was a tradesman who owned a decently successful autobody shop, while his mother was an elementary school teacher. They weren’t an overtly successful family, but they were happy. Both of his parents were born and raised in Canada but their lineage traced back across the pond to Ireland. Miles was an avid Pittsburgh Penguins fan and all the time Jake spent with his father was in front of the TV with the game on. One of Jake’s earliest memories is watching the draft with his dad, and the Penguins had some memorable first rounders in those years.

 

Growing up in Winnipeg in the first decade of the 2000s wasn’t a very exciting time hockey-wise. The Jets had been gone for nearly a decade but everyone in the city still loved the sport. Most kids started skating in their early years and transitioned into hockey with the support of the Timbits program. Jake wasn’t any different and started learning and playing the game at the same time he started school. He and his dad bonded over their passion for the game, and Miles was incredibly supportive as Jake quickly picked up the intricacies of the game. Jake’s father was an impressively dedicated and hardworking man and tried endlessly to pass those qualities on to his only son. Jake spent a lot of his free time with his family instead of with his school friends, something that his parents noticed. They had encouraged him to branch out in the hopes that he was able to have some new experiences outside of hockey, yet he always found his way back to it.

 

As Jake watched more and more hockey in his spare time he began to split off from his dad’s interests and cheered for the Boston Bruins. He picked the Bruins because his favorite player was on the team, Patrice Bergeron. Bergeron’s incredible two-way play was inspirational for Jake as he discovered the play style he would try to emulate in the future.

 

Growing Pains

2011 was a big year, everything in the city changed. The Jets came back to Winnipeg and hockey further dominated Jake’s life. He and his dad were at every Jets home game that year, and you could say that’s when they became best friends. Being able to see the game up close in person compared to on a screen at home, made it easier for Jake to see the angles and plays he never could before. He started drawing up strategies and plays in his mind to see if there was something he could use to improve his own play. This allowed him to become a more dominant force in his peewee hockey league but he still wasn’t considered elite due to his physical limitations.

 

As he entered more competitive leagues in his early teens, the disparity between his hockey IQ and skill became more evident and resulted in Jake hitting a breaking point in his frustration. He left the game behind him while his family and friends pressured him to rejoin. Jake took that time to focus on his school work in the hopes of pursuing a career in medicine. His determination and focus never wavered, it was his direction that changed. Years went by before he picked up his hockey stick again.

 

Unfortunately, shortly after Jake turned 15, tragedy struck; his father had been diagnosed with aggressive lymphoma months prior and passed away shortly after his birthday. Stricken with grief, Jake channeled his anger into self-improvement and begun an intensive workout routine. At this point he put everything he had into getting bigger and faster, getting into shape for the upcoming high school hockey season. The high school coach was an old friend of Jake’s dad and helped him get on the team. He worked with Jake over the summer to get him up to speed as he had been away from the sport for years. He made the team through try outs. That year Jake averaged 3 pts a game, setting a new league record and resulting in him winning league MVP. At this point everyone was just waiting for Jake to turn 16 so he could make his way up to Junior.

 

Turning Pro

Picked up by the London Knights for the 2015-16 after his 16^th birthday, Jake impressed everyone and started on the second line centered by Mitch Marner. He played 60 games and put up 103 points surpassing everyone’s expectations. It was his first real test against teams that were an actual competition and he and Knights went all the way to take home the Memorial Cup that year.

 

Jake made the switch from left wing to his off-wing in 16-17 and never looked back. He turned into one of the most dynamic players in the league on the powerplay and consistently found the scoresheet under the primary assist column. Being on his off-hand opened up passing lanes and beat defensive strategies that were overly dominant in the OHL and he put up 31-89-120 in that year. Scouts were at every one of his games, and he knew he’d have an easy time getting in to the NHL at this rate.

 

Shortly before the NHL draft, Jake was approached by the GM of Ottawa Lynx of the VHLM. He had just missed the VHLM draft but was offered a one-year contract for more money and with the promise of more playtime than if he went into the NHL. Knowing centering a top line would advance his play more than fitting into the bottom 6 of an NHL team, Jake accepted the offer and began his professional career with the team shortly after the season began.

 

At the end of the day, Jake’s life up until this point has shown that he has the drive and determination to be a successful hockey player. He says his single career goal is to become an inspiration to young hockey players and to support the sport that created the most important relationship he had in his life, the one he had with his father.

 

Word Count: 1020 and change

[SlapshotWrangler 864]

Review:

This is an awesome biography, I love it. The whole story about him wanting to quit but returning was so touching, plus the Jets coming back. Ryuu is sorry for what happened to his father. Good thing you didn't go to the NHL, so much talent would be wasted in those bottom 6 teams. Also, very interesting that he changed to his off-wing. Now Ryuu is thinking about the same thing in the future. Lucky, you got to play with Marner.