News Article: Evander Kane - The players tribune

[TheWayToRefJose]

Good read, thought I'd share.

San Jose

Click to read more...

 

[KarlssonsGroin]

Kaner shooting his shot at hoping Taveras reads this and its the decision maker

There are a lot of good people in that organization. From Jason down to the training staff, they want to right the ship. Leaving a place that wasn’t having success was difficult, because I wanted to be part of the fix. They have a great young leader in Jack Eichel, but the team was in a rebuild mode. I’m nine years into my career and I wanted to give myself the best opportunity to win, and I think San Jose gives me that opportunity.
I felt like I had been waiting to play for a club like the Sharks my whole life.
I hadn’t been on a winning team until Jumbo gave me the call to come to California. The entire organization — from top to bottom — is the best I’ve ever been a part of. And to step into the Sharks’ locker room and see the sort of culture they’ve built here … it’s impressive, man.

also i didnt realize him and Jones were teammates in minor hockey. thats pretty cool

 

[JackSkellington]

Good read, thought I'd share.

San Jose

Good read, really shows you that Kane wasnt the guy the media and fans made you believe he was. All the dude wanted to do was win, ATL/Winnipeg was garbage in his early years until now and Buffalo is still Buffalo.

 

[Dicdonya]

Really happy for Kane. It must suck to feel unwanted, and picked on for bogus attitude issues.

I still don’t loooove his contract, but definitely not because he came with it. Let’s just hope he absolutely kills it going forward and makes 7mil look like a sweet deal.

 

[Tkachuk4MVP]

I know there are DW haters and/or people who think we should move on from him, but he's been a huge part of the team culture to which Kane is referring. People should remember that when they start calling for his head after a bad roster decision/trade/signing/etc.

 

[JackSkellington]

I know there are DW haters and/or people who think we should move on from him, but he's been a huge part of the team culture to which Kane is referring. People should remember that when they start calling for his head after a bad roster decision/trade/signing/etc.

I mustve been a minority in not hating the Kane deal, if he stays healthy with his talent and him being surrounded by so much better players than his other 2 teams he can make that contract look worth it.

 

[TheWayToRefJose]

Really happy for Kane. It must suck to feel unwanted, and picked on for bogus attitude issues.

I still don’t loooove his contract, but definitely not because he came with it. Let’s just hope he absolutely kills it going forward and makes 7mil look like a sweet deal.

I'll take it just because what he had to give up for him. Really hard to find a speedy, gritty, young, top 6 power forward. I'll take a slightly overpaid player like Kane for a late first all day, every day.

 

[The Nemesis]

It's a good read and it definitely helps him come off better than some of his portrayals. Though at the same time I would've liked to see perhaps him owning whatever it was that caused the fight/rift in Winnipeg that led to the incident with Byfuglien, and some realization that the reason that people reacted badly to the money pictures wasn't just an issue of him "showing personality" but rather that maybe a lockout where your brothers-in-arms are fighting to get what they feel is a fairer cut of league revenues on the basis that they're underpaid is probably not the best time to be posting pictures of big stacks of cash like you don't have a financial care in the world.

It's one thing to question the stuffy, traditionalist, conservative hockey mentality that grinds players down for not being robots. It's another to essentially come off like all the problems you've had are totally not your fault and that you should be able to act however you want without repercussion.

It's also a little funny to see him talk about locker room camaraderie in reference to his junior time in Vancouver. He was a rookie when the Giants won the Memorial Cup and he barely played. And like most CHL teams that chase a mem cup, they maxed out their chances by shortening their competitive window. That team turned over more than half of its roster over the course of the next 2 years where Kane was a major contributor. There's maybe 6 guys there were there all 3 years with him. It's always a different beast than NHL club camaraderie because the CHL doesn't let you build a team that stays together for 6-8 years. You get maybe 2 years at best with the biggest parts of your core before they either age out or you start the yard sale to try and re-stock for another run.

 

[Used As A Shield]

Nice read, and I def agree on Nemesis's points.

 

[Kcoyote3]

For as much as he loves it here, wish he would have stayed for a bit less money.

 

[Used As A Shield]

I like Logan's retweet of the players tribune tweet of it with the cc to tavares

 

[Friday]

I like Logan's retweet of the players tribune tweet of it with the cc to tavares

Give Logan the C now

 

[spintheblackcircle]

It's a good read and it definitely helps him come off better than some of his portrayals. Though at the same time I would've liked to see perhaps him owning whatever it was that caused the fight/rift in Winnipeg that led to the incident with Byfuglien, and some realization that the reason that people reacted badly to the money pictures wasn't just an issue of him "showing personality" but rather that maybe a lockout where your brothers-in-arms are fighting to get what they feel is a fairer cut of league revenues on the basis that they're underpaid is probably not the best time to be posting pictures of big stacks of cash like you don't have a financial care in the world.

Going to have to disagree here about the photo. If an NFL player or NBA player or any other athlete did that, there would be nothing. Hell, everyone cracked up when freakin Mike Commodore posts pictures of him laying in bed in his boxers covered in hundreds!

This is a VERY specific backlash.

As far as the locker room thing goes, though, agree.

 

[spintheblackcircle]

If that article is 100% real feelings out of him and he can help put the Sharks over the top, crow would be on the buffet for so many 'experts'. I like him more and more.

 

[The Nemesis]

Going to have to disagree here about the photo. If an NFL player or NBA player or any other athlete did that, there would be nothing. Hell, everyone cracked up when freakin Mike Commodore posts pictures of him laying in bed in his boxers covered in hundreds!

This is a VERY specific backlash.

As far as the locker room thing goes, though, agree.

If it wasn't during the lockout, yeah absolutely. Commodore's wasn't. It was 2008.

But it was smack in the middle of the labor dispute. It's the equivalent of walking into your boss' office asking for a 'necessary' raise while you're wearing a brand new, expensive watch.

It's not about the picture itself. It's about the timing. I don't doubt that there's going to be a segment of reaction that's entirely on board with the stodgy old guard mentality that wants players to be robots. and I don't doubt there's a segment that's going to make it a racial issue because they're morons. But with any sort of reaction to an event, it's disingenuous to write it off wholly as being any one reason for the reaction. It's the "haters gonna hate" mentality that seems to have become a default way to brush off any and all criticism and act like you should be free to do and say whatever you want without negative consequence.

 

[WTFetus]

First, it was frustrating not to have success on the ice. I had been in the NHL for five years and never experienced a winning season. I play to win. That, for me, is the best thing about hockey. So after every season in Winnipeg, I requested a trade.

Good read, but that part kinda rubbed me the wrong way.

 

[one2gamble]

Kane is the kind of guy who is better than most everyone thinks and worse than he thinks about himself.

That said, I think it's a good article about his mindset and San Jose in general.

 

[Barrie22]

First, it was frustrating not to have success on the ice. I had been in the NHL for five years and never experienced a winning season. I play to win. That, for me, is the best thing about hockey. So after every season in Winnipeg, I requested a trade.

Good read, but that part kinda rubbed me the wrong way.

Meh that was him being a situation he didn't like and losing was just making it worse.

 

[tiburon12]

Yea idk, this is the Players Tribune. I wouldn't expect Kane's ghostwriter to tackle the immaturity and deep issues that plagued his time in Winnipeg. This was about the sharks and them embracing him. Maybe save the character issues for another piece/time

 

[tahoesharksfan]

Kane is the kind of guy who is better than most everyone thinks and worse than he thinks about himself.

Agreed, but if you're going to error on one side or the other, better to be a little cocky...

I'm looking forward to his contributions...and him staying healthy!!

 

[Jaleel619]

I think it would have held a little more authenticity if he released it after the biggest FA in the past decade make his decision with said team in the running. Other than that though there is no doubt he plays with heart, if Marleau had 1/10 of Kanes heart he would be a Stanley cup champion now! He just went from the 3rd team to the scout team! Rudibeger!

 

[Pinkfloyd]

I think it would have held a little more authenticity if he released it after the biggest FA in the past decade make his decision with said team in the running. Other than that though there is no doubt he plays with heart, if Marleau had 1/10 of Kanes heart he would be a Stanley cup champion now! He just went from the 3rd team to the scout team! Rudibeger!

lol at the idea that Marleau has less heart than Kane.

 

[LadyStanley]

I like Logan's retweet of the players tribune tweet of it with the cc to tavares

Players' Tribune added the cc, not Cooch.

 

[Used As A Shield]

Players' Tribune added the cc, not Cooch.

Yes, perhaps worded badly.

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

lol at the idea that Marleau has less heart than Kane.

The real question is what Kane would be if he had Marleau’s off-ice dedication and work ethic.