Evander Kane

Evander Frank Kane (born August 2, 1991) is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL).

He has previously played for the Atlanta Thrashers, Winnipeg Jets, Buffalo Sabres, and San Jose Sharks.

Kane was born on August 2, 1991, in Vancouver, British Columbia, to Perry and Sheri Kane, who named him after American boxer Evander Holyfield (he later met Holyfield at age 18).

Kane comes from an athletic lineage; his father was an amateur boxer and hockey player, while Kane's mother was a college volleyball player.

His uncle, Leonard Kane, is a member of the Canadian Ball Hockey Hall of Fame.

Kane's cousin, Dwayne Provo, played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for seven years and spent one season with the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL).

Another cousin, Kirk Johnson, boxed for Canada at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona and later fought John Ruiz for the 2002 World Boxing Association (WBA) Heavyweight title.

Growing up in East Vancouver, Kane attended high school at John Oliver Secondary.

In addition to hockey, he played baseball, basketball, and soccer growing up.

After beginning to skate at the age of three, he began playing minor ice hockey at eight.

His father instructed him in his early years and initially wanted to keep him out of organized hockey until Kane was ten.

He surpassed Adam Courchaine's team record of 43 goals in a single season, set in 2002–03.

Second in team scoring to Pierro-Zabotel's 115 points, the line-mates finished one-two in all-time Giants' single-season scoring as Pierro-Zabotel and Kane both surpassed Gilbert Brulé's previous 87-point mark.

Kane received WHL West First Team All-Star honors along with teammates Pierro-Zabotel and Jonathon Blum.

Kane played in the 2003 and 2004 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournaments with a team from North Vancouver.

At the age of 14, Kane recorded 140 points in 66 games with the bantam North Shore Winter Club, followed by a 22-goal, 54-point campaign to finish fourth in league scoring with the Greater Vancouver Canadians of the BC Hockey Major Midget League (BCMML).

Kane also played minor hockey with the Vancouver Giants, prior to bantam and midget.

Kane was drafted 19th overall in the 2006 WHL Bantam Draft by the Vancouver Giants.

He received his first WHL call-up for a game against the Seattle Thunderbirds on December 13, 2006, due to other Giants players international commitments in the World Junior Championships.

During his major junior career, Kane won the Memorial Cup with the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League (WHL) in 2007, finished as runner-up for the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy as WHL rookie of the year in 2008 and was named to the WHL West First All-Star Team in 2009.

Kane scored his first WHL goal, a game-tying marker, on March 25, 2007, the last game of the regular season.

He also suited up for five WHL postseason games, being originally called up for the playoffs after Giants forward Tim Kraus was suspended for game three of the opening round.

He later appeared in two Memorial Cup games, tallying an assist, as part of the Giants' 2007 Memorial Cup championship.

Set to begin his rookie campaign with the Giants the following season, Kane experienced a minor setback, as he was forced to miss the start of training camp with a case of mononucleosis.

He nevertheless recovered and joined the Giants full-time to tally 24 goals – third in team scoring – and 41 points in his first WHL season.

Finishing tenth in rookie scoring, he was nominated for the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy as WHL rookie of the year, which was awarded to Brayden Schenn of the Brandon Wheat Kings.

Kane also set the Giants' franchise record for single-season goals in 2008–09.

Legal and personal issues have plagued Kane during his hockey career.

Among other things, he has faced allegations of betting on his own NHL games, accusations of assault, and domestic violence allegations.

He has also been suspended for submitting a fake COVID-19 vaccine card, abusing on-ice officials, and other incidents.

Internationally, Kane received gold medals as a member of Team Canada at the 2008 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament and 2009 World Junior Championships.

Kane emerged with an impressive start to the 2008–09 season, registering at least a point in each of his first 22 games.

After recording his first WHL hat-trick on October 10, 2008, against the Kelowna Rockets, he was named WHL Player of the Week on October 12, succeeding line-mate Casey Pierro-Zabotel, who had been chosen the previous week.

Kane was selected fourth overall by the Thrashers in the first round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

Kane earned a spot as an injury replacement at the 2009 World Junior Championships with Team Canada.

Upon returning with a gold medal, Kane was named player of the week for the second time in the season on January 12, 2009, after scoring six points in two games immediately following the World Juniors.

Later that month, he participated in the 2009 CHL Top Prospects Game as captain for Team Cherry.

Kane finished his second WHL season with 48 goals and 96 points, fourth in league scoring.

In the subsequent 2009 playoffs, after the Giants swept the Prince George Cougars in the first round, Kane scored a double-overtime game-winner to force a seventh game in the second round against the Spokane Chiefs.

He has also competed in the 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2014 IIHF World Championships.