Evander Kane

Lore & Background

Kane was born in Vancouver to Perry and Sheri Kane, named after boxer Evander Holyfield, whom he later met at age 18. His father was an amateur boxer and hockey player; his mother played college volleyball. His uncle Leonard Kane is in the Canadian Ball Hockey Hall of Fame, cousin Dwayne Provo played in the CFL and NFL, and cousin Kirk Johnson boxed for Canada at the 1992 Olympics. Kane attended John Oliver Secondary and played baseball, basketball, and soccer. He began skating at three and started minor hockey at eight. He played in the 2003 and 2004 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournaments. At 14, he recorded 140 points in 66 games with the bantam North Shore Winter Club, then 54 points with the Greater Vancouver Canadians of the BCMML.

In major junior, Kane won the Memorial Cup with the Vancouver Giants in 2007, was runner-up for the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy as WHL rookie of the year in 2008, and made the WHL West First All-Star Team in 2009. He set the Giants' franchise record for single-season goals in 2008–09. Internationally, he won gold at the 2008 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament and 2009 World Junior Championships with Team Canada, and competed in the 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2014 IIHF World Championships.

Off the ice, Kane has been involved in several legal disputes including assault, game-betting, and domestic violence claims, along with a Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing.

Reader's Guide

Evander Kane's NHL career began with the Atlanta Thrashers, who selected him fourth overall in 2009. He made the team out of his first training camp, recording his first point and first goal in his first week. His rookie season was cut short by a bone fracture from blocking a shot, finishing with 14 goals and 26 points in 66 games. In his second season, he missed nine games due to various injuries but increased his point total to 43. After the Thrashers relocated to become the Winnipeg Jets, Kane led the team in scoring early in the 2011–12 season before a concussion sidelined him. He later signed a six-year, $31.5 million contract extension. During the 2012–13 lockout, he joined Dinamo Minsk of the KHL, becoming the first Canadian NHL player to sign a KHL contract, but was released after 12 games with one goal. In April 2014, he was accused of assault in Vancouver and later sued for financial damages; he was also a healthy scratch under the new head coach. Kane set career highs in points and goals in 2011–12 and led the NHL in penalty minutes in both 2018–19 and 2019–20. His tenure with the Sabres was part of a journey through six NHL organizations, marked by both on-ice production and off-ice controversies.

Did You Know?

• Kane was named after boxer Evander Holyfield and later met him at age 18.
• He led the NHL in penalty minutes in both the 2018–19 and 2019–20 seasons.
• Kane was the first Canadian NHL player to sign a contract with the KHL.