Deep Ink: Jared McCann

Deep Ink, presented by Kraken Rum, explores the meaning behind the ink worn by Kraken players. Dive into the full series to discover more stories from around the locker room.

Jared McCann is passionate about tattoos. He has a vast collection of body art including a full sleeve on his right arm. But before that, his first ink set the tone for all the tattoos to come - a devotion to family and where he’s come from. 

When Jared was just 16 years old, his sister Jamie took him to a tattoo shop in their hometown of London, Ontario, called Perfect Image. 

“It was a surprise for my mom,” Jared said. "It was for her birthday. My sister, being the best in the world that she is, took me. I told the artist what I wanted to get, and he drew something up for me. And this is what we envisioned.” 

That image on the back of Jared’s left shoulder is a hockey stick wrapped in a light coral ribbon with the initials “EM” bookending the ribbon’s cross point.

The coral ribbon, while faded, (Jared says he’s planning on getting the tattoo touched up) is the symbol for multiple sclerosis, and the letters are the initials of his mom, Erin McCann. 

“My mom has multiple sclerosis. It’s something she's been battling for a long time. I just thought getting that incorporated with how much I love hockey, and how much she's given up for me for hockey, it really just shows how appreciative I am of everything she's done for me.” 

The art took about an hour and a half to get done. And the Kraken’s all-time leading goal scorer learned a lot about the pain that comes with getting a tattoo, especially depending on where it is. “It hurt a lot more than I thought…especially being on my shoulder blade,” Jared said with a smile. “But (the artist) did a great job. The lines are great; it turned out well.” 

From there, it was back home to show his mom her “surprise.” Erin not only didn’t know what the tattoo would be, Jared is pretty sure his mom didn’t expect him to go through with getting his body inked in the first place.

“I wish I could go back and see her reaction again,” Jared said, laughing. “I didn't know if she hated it or loved it at the time, but she's grown to love it.”   

And as Jared’s journey in both hockey and getting tattoos has progressed, Erin’s love and support remain a constant. She was able to join Jared on the Kraken’s mom’s trip last year and is always there for her son encouraging him both on and off the ice. 

“I owe everything to her, she's an amazing woman,” Jared said. “(It’s not that she doesn’t) care about hockey, but (more so) she just wants me to be happy and be healthy. That's all you can ask for in a mom, right? With her, it’s more just about how I am and my well-being, than it is about what I do (in hockey).” 

That guiding love for those who love him is what has set the tone for all the body art that has followed and is to come. Jared prefers to keep the reasons behind his other tattoos private but does share the theme for them all. 

“Just family stuff,” Jared said. “Little subtle things everywhere to remember where I came from, and the family that I have and how thankful I am for them.”

Photos: Chris Mast