Oilers' Evander Kane opens up on how his childhood helped him style his physical play on ice 

By Ankit Kumar

Modified May 03, 2024 21:37 GMT

In a recent interview with Pat McAfee on his show, NHL player Evander Kane talked about how his childhood affected his physical style of play. Kane said that his early exposure to boxing training, facilitated by his father and his cousin Kirk Johnson, a professional boxer, greatly contributed to his ability to handle himself physically in hockey.

Evander Kane spoke about the incorporation of boxing into his hockey training, which started when he was just 12 years old. He said:

"It's something that I kind of incorporated into my training. My dad did it when I was like 12 years old. He did a little bit of boxing, and my cousin, he was actually a professional boxer, Kirk Johnson."

"So we kind of incorporated that training into my hockey training."

It was a skill that became crucial as Evander Kane progressed through different levels of hockey. His father taught him so that he could protect himself in the demanding teenage and adult hockey levels.

"And then obviously, as you get older, you're allowed to fight at different levels of hockey. So my dad wanted to make sure that I could protect myself and be able to handle myself if I ever got into that situation."

Kane discussed how the skill he learned from his father proved to be of a lot of help in the Western Hockey League (WHL).

"And then obviously, playing in the Western League, it was a tough league back when I played, and there was probably a fight to start every hockey game. So that type of stuff you just kind of grow up with and learn as you grow and I've never been afraid to stick up for myself or my teammates."

Evander Kane's journey to NHL and then becoming an Oiler

The forward's journey in the NHL has seen him move through various teams. He was initially selected fourth overall by the Atlanta Thrashers, who later transitioned to the Winnipeg Jets after relocating. Kane's tenure with the Jets was followed by a trade to the Buffalo Sabres in 2015. Subsequently, he joined the San Jose Sharks in 2018.

However, Kane's career faced a significant challenge when the Sharks placed him on unconditional waivers in January 2022 due to a violation of AHL COVID-19 protocols, leading to efforts to terminate his contract.

Amid these developments, reports emerged of the Edmonton Oilers' interest in signing Evander Kane. Eventually, on Jan. 27, 2022, Kane signed a one-year contract with the Oilers, marking a new chapter in his hockey journey.