Fife Flyers: Evan McKinnon’s Scottish roots and his bid to lace up after injury

The 25-year old from Sackville, Nova Scotia, was only playing his sixth game since joining the club on the eve of the transfer deadline.

The initial diagnosis wasn’t good. He took his skate off to reveal a badly bruised foot which medics feared was broken

“It was pretty disappointing being told that my season might be over,” he said. “I blocked a full blooded shot and it felt painful. Normally you can skate it off, but after a few minutes on the bench it was getting worse and worse - my foot was black and I couldn’t put any weight on it.”

Fast forward to midweek and the swelling has subsided to the point MacKinnon hoped to be able to skate on Thursday with one eye on a weekend return.

“If I can get my skates on, I definitely want to play,” he said.

His return would be a welcome boost for coach Johnny Curran who has pledged not to push anyone back on to ice if they are hurt.

“We want them all to stay healthy and finish on a high,” he said. “No-one will be forced to come back early. Evan flies up and down the ice and brings big energy to the team. I know he was devastated by the injury when we thought it was a broken foot - he didn’t deserve to come from school, play a few games and get sent home in a cast.”

MacKinnon was the final addition to the team after the departure of Ryan Foss opened up a slot. It gave him a chance to come to Europe and begin his pro career after graduating from Dalhousie University in Halifax where, in his first year, he received an Academic All-Canadians award.

“It has been great so far,” he said. “The guys have been great and made me welcome. It’s my first time in Europe and I get to see the other side of the world. I knew about the league here - I have a few friends who have played here - and I knew the team was having a tough time, but I talked to Johnny (Curran) and he told me it would give me an opportunity to play. I wanted to do what I could to help.”

There were a few familiar faces in his new surroundings in Fife - MacKinnon had skated against Phelix Martineau and Kieran Craig and also came across defenceman Noah Delmas coming the junior ranks.

The move also reunited him with former line-mate and room-mate Kieran Craig from their time with the Gatineau Olympiques in the QMJHL.

“We had some good games back then - we had five games left when the league was shut down because of the pandemic. We were playing really good hockey too! Kieran had a nose for the net and was always able to bury pucks.

“And it always helps to have a familiar face in a new dressing-room...”

MacKinnon was originally drafted by the Truro Bearcats in in the 2017 Maritime Junior Hockey League (MJAHL) and played Major Junior in the QMJHL until joining the Miramichi Timberwolves of the MJAHL late in the 2020-21 season. He went on to play with four teams in the QMJHL scoring 35 goals with 63 assists in 246 games.

Stepping up to pro hockey was the aim after completing his studies at Dalhousie.

“I wanted to finish the year playing pro,” he said. “ My agent reached out and told me about the opportunity to come to Fife. I talked to Johnny who told me I’d get a chance to play.” A win on his debut against Glasgow Clan made for a perfect start, and it has been a quick adjustment to stepping a team that has often been short benched.

“At uni we‘d have 12 forwards so it is different over here!” “The game is a step up too. It is faster and you are playing on bigger ice pads, where there is more time and space on the puck and the outsides. You are also up against a better calibre of players with a lot of experience, but I wanted to come for the opportunity and to try to help the team as much as I can, and to showcase myself. Europe was always a goal after finishing uni.”

And with a surname of MacKinnon, Scotland was perhaps an obvious starting point.

He has Scottish links to Barra - “they are on my dad’s side and he has told me about them.

“My parents and girlfriend are also coming over for the last two games - my dad was stationed in Europe with the military but my mum has never been, so they are excited about the trip and seeing me play.”