Sunday, September 18, 2011

Jets All Out Top 25: #3 Evander Kane

Evander Kane, 20, Left Wing, 6'2, 190 lbs
Last Year's Rating: N/A This Year's Rating: #3 Difference: N/A

If there is one player in the Jets lineup that is due for a huge breakout year in the team's new surroundings, it's third year NHLer Evander Kane.

With arguably the most potential of any player in the Jets lineup, Kane has seen his production climb steadily in his first two seasons in the NHL with the Atlanta Thrashers.

In his rookie season of 2009-10, Kane notched 26 points (14 goals, 12 assists) in 66 games with 62 penalty minutes and a plus two rating. His rookie season was shortened when he was injured blocking a shot against the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 6, 2010. However, he made it back to play on April 3rd.

Kane's immediate jump to the NHL following being selected fourth overall by the Thrashers in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft surprised many in the league. He had been a big role player on Team Canada during the World Juniors in 2009, scoring six points (two goals, four assists) in six games en route to gold in Ottawa.

Many thought that Kane may need another year in junior. But the stats didn't lie about Kane's dominance in the WHL with the Vancouver Giants.

In his two and a bit seasons in Vancouver, Kane was a force, scoring 138 points (73 goals, 65 assists), including setting the record for goals in a season for a Giant with 48 in his final year, where he added 48 assists for 96 points.

But despite the doubts he would stick in the NHL during his first season, the highest born-and-raised Vancouver player since Paul Kariya in 1993 held on and played the season all in the NHL.

In his last season in Atlanta, Kane matured into an everyday NHLer that could produce and be counted upon to do top six forward work as he collected 43 points (19 goals, 24 assists) in 73 games, almost doubling his output from his rookie season.

Kane, a seemingly undersized power forward, though at 6'2 provides alot of strength up front, is going to be counted upon to use his combination of speed and size throughout the season.

There is a potential to see Kane bloom into a 30 goal scorer at the NHL level and in a new setting of a hockey mad city, he may have the motivation and the backing of 15,015 every home game to help him become the player he was selected fourth overall for.

No comments:

Post a Comment