page_title: Evander Kane
section_title: Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets (2009–2015)
hierarchical_section_title: Evander Kane / Playing career / Professional / Atlanta Thrashers/Winnipeg Jets (2009–2015)
caption_attribution_description: English: Winnipeg Jets forward Evander Kane prior to a National Hockey League game against the Calgary Flames.
context_page_description: Evander Frank Kane is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League. Kane was selected fourth overall in the first round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft by the Atlanta Thrashers.
  During his major junior career, Kane won the Memorial Cup with the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League in 2007, finished as runner-up for the Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy as WHL rookie of the year in 2008 and was named to the WHL West First All-Star Team in 2009. Kane also set the Giants' franchise record for single-season goals in 2008–09.
  Internationally, Kane has won gold medals with Team Canada at the 2008 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament and 2009 World Junior Championships. He has also competed in the 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014 IIHF World Championships.
context_section_description: Kane was selected fourth overall by the Atlanta Thrashers. Less than a month later, the Thrashers signed Kane to an entry-level contract on July 20, 2009.
  Kane made the Thrashers' lineup out of his first NHL training camp for the 2009–10 season.  He recorded his first career NHL point in his debut on October 3, 2009, earning an assist on a goal by Rich Peverley against the Tampa Bay Lightning. His first goal was scored five days later, on October 8, beating Chris Mason with a snap shot in a 4–2 win over the St. Louis Blues. He suffered a bone fracture, late in his rookie season, blocking a shot during a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 6, 2010. Kane missed 15 games before returning to the lineup on April 3. Kane finished his NHL rookie campaign with 14 goals and 26 points in 66 games, ranked 12th among first-year point-scorers.
  Kane suffered several minor injuries during his second NHL season in 2010–11 season. During a game against the Colorado Avalanche on November 30, 2010, Kane suffered a left knee injury after he was struck by a shot from teammate Tobias Enström; he missed two games. The following month, he missed one game due to an arm injury, sustained during a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on December 7. In January 2011, he missed an additional six games due to a lower-body injury. Kept from the lineup for a total nine games, Kane increased his points total to 43 with 19 goals and 24 assists.  He ranked fifth in team point-scoring – third among forward behind captain Andrew Ladd and Bryan Little.
  During the off-season, the Thrashers franchise was bought and relocated by True North Sports and Entertainment, becoming the Winnipeg Jets. Kane was enjoying a successful first season as a Jet, leading his team in scoring with 18 goals and 31 points by mid-January 2012. During that month, however, he was sidelined with a concussion that was reported on January 21. Later in the season, he recorded a four-point game (two goals and two assists) in a 7–0 win against the Florida Panthers on March 1, 2012. On September 15, 2012, Kane signed a six-year, $31.5 million contract extension with the Jets.
  As a result of the 2012–13 NHL lockout, Kane joined Dinamo Minsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He was the first Canadian NHL player to sign a contract with the KHL. However, after 12 games with the club, in which he recorded one goal, Kane was released. The club's athletic director suggested that Kane "could not adapt to hockey in the KHL," but also said that both sides mutually agreed to end the contract.
  On April 3, 2014, Kane was accused of assault, after an incident in Vancouver, and sued for financial damages. On April 5, 2014, Kane was a healthy scratch under new head coach Paul Maurice, in a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. After the game, Maurice said it was a coach's decision, and that if Kane wanted back in the lineup, all he needed to do was "probably just come to the rink." On February 3, 2015 Kane was a healthy scratch against the Vancouver Canucks. It was later determined that he was scratched because of an incident with his teammates. Kane revealed in an October 2015 interview that he felt the Jets did not "have his back" throughout his legal and behavioral issues but instead felt that they traded away their problem.
caption: Kane with the Winnipeg Jets in March 2012
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