Oilers' Kane hopes to see Atlanta get another NHL team

If Atlanta is to get another NHL team, Edmonton Oilers forward Evander Kane will be a happy man.

There has been plenty of speculation as of late that if the NHL is to add another expansion team, they may be located out of Atlanta. There has been plenty of negative feedback on this from fans, as Atlanta has had two cracks at being home to an NHL franchise, neither of which were successful. That said, Kane, who spent the first two seasons of his career as a Thrasher, is a big fan of the city getting another opportunity.

“You talk about a great city to live in, a great city to be a part of. The fan base. Everybody talks about a lack of fans, but the fanbase we had there was so awesome,” Kane said to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. “They were so passionate about us as a hockey team. We had fans at practice all the time. As an 18-year-old, I loved being there. Great travel. Four other major sports. There’s lots to do. It’s a hub, you can get anywhere in the US or even internationally from Atlanta. There’s so many good things I have to say about it. I would be 100% supportive.”

The Thrashers joined the NHL for the 1999-2000 season and continued on until the conclusion of the 2010-11 season. They were then relocated to Winnipeg, where they remain to this day. There was also the Atlanta Flames, who joined the NHL in 1972 but relocated to Calgary in 1980.

Though some former Thrashers players haven’t had the most positive things to say about their time in Atlanta, it seems as though Kane truly enjoyed it. The 32-year-old has spent a big chunk of his career in some markets other players consider less than desirable, as he also spent several seasons with the Winnipeg Jets, Buffalo Sabres, and now the Oilers. While all three of those cities are often talked about as places players would rather not live, Kane has seemed to enjoy his time in all of them.

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