Playing in the National Hockey League is already an incredible accomplishment, but being able to celebrate playing 1000 games in the NHL is an entirely unique milestone on its own and is something that Evander Kane will experience this upcoming week.
It has been an exciting journey in the NHL for Kane, as he reflects on this achievement. Having first broken into the league at just 18 years old with the Atlanta Thrashers, he has since played for the relocated Winnipeg Jets, Buffalo Sabres, San Jose Sharks, Edmonton Oilers, and now in his hometown with the Vancouver Canucks.
“You play a lot of hockey, so it’s definitely a cool milestone to have happened, and something that I think any player would be proud of, and [it’s] no different with me.” Kane said.
Having had the opportunity to play across the league, Kane has been able to see other players reach these incredible milestones, playing a small part of their story, and is now able to highlight his own when he officially reaches that 1000-game mark in Vegas against the Golden Knights.
“You see how these things transpire, and they’re cool and fun moments to be a part of,” Kane said. “When you’re a part of hockey history, to be on that list of playing 1000 games is obviously a humbling experience.”
Reaching these milestones is never an individual effort, and Kane, out of the many that had helped him get to this point, his father was the one who stood out the most, having been the person who first sparked his lifelong love for this game.
“He shares this just as much as I do. Without him, there’s definitely no way I would have gotten to 1000 games, or probably even in this league, so that's who comes to mind first,” Kane said.
The Vancouver native will have his official 1000 games ceremony in the presence of countless friends and family when the Canucks return from their final extended road trip of the season, in what is very much a full-circle moment.
“To be back in Vancouver, where I played Junior, where I grew up, with my kids and my family, my wife, to be able to celebrate it here is really special,” Kane said. “Probably a little bit of a bigger celebration, it being in Vancouver with a lot of friends and family being able to take part.”
Being close to his family after spending so much time away has been one of the greatest parts of returning home to play with the Canucks this season.
“The family aspects have been the biggest benefit,” Kane said. “[It’s] [a] privilege having my parents being close to their grandkids, and having that type of support, and obviously friends and family at games and whatnot, and being able to see people that I really haven't seen in a long time during these hockey months.”
Family has been a key theme for Kane as he reflects on his career and what it means to play in this league for such a long time, and he has dedicated much of this milestone to them.
“For me, the ceremony has my name attached to it, [but] I think it’s really more for my family and my friends. That’s really what this milestone is about,” Kane said.
The Canucks will be in Calgary to play the Flames tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. P.T, for the first of a four-game road trip.
Listen to this and much more as Kane joins Chris Faber on the latest episode of the Canucks Insider Podcast.
