Kevin Weekes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kevin Weekes |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
Weekes in 2012
|
|||
| Born | April 4, 1975 Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) | ||
| Weight | 235 lb (107 kg; 16 st 11 lb) | ||
| Position | Goaltender | ||
| Caught | Left | ||
| Played for | Florida Panthers Vancouver Canucks New York Islanders Tampa Bay Lightning Carolina Hurricanes New York Rangers New Jersey Devils |
||
| NHL Draft | 41st overall, 1993 Florida Panthers |
||
| Playing career | 1995–2009 | ||
Kevin Weekes (born April 4, 1975) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played 348 games in the National Hockey League (NHL). After retiring, he became a well-known studio analyst for NHL Network. He also calls games for ESPN and ABC. Weekes is known for his fun and unique trade deadline videos.
Contents
Kevin Weekes' Hockey Journey
Kevin Weekes started his hockey journey playing minor ice hockey in Toronto. He played in the 1989 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament.
His junior career began with the Owen Sound Platers in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He also played briefly for the Ottawa 67's.
Drafted by the Panthers
The Florida Panthers chose Weekes 41st overall in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft. In 1996, he played for the Carolina Monarchs, the Panthers' minor league team. He was loaned to the Rochester Americans for the 1996 Spengler Cup. Weekes was even named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of that tournament!
He made his NHL debut with the Panthers on October 16, 1997. He later played for the Vancouver Canucks and the New York Islanders. In 2000, he joined the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Becoming a Hurricane Hero
The Carolina Hurricanes traded for Weekes on March 5, 2002. He was a backup goalie for Arturs Irbe during the regular season. But in the playoffs, Weekes became very important. He played in eight games, helping the Hurricanes reach the Stanley Cup Finals.
He even recorded two shutouts in a row during the playoffs. A shutout means the goalie stops every shot and doesn't let the other team score. This was a big achievement! Weekes was the main goalie for the Hurricanes in the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons.
Time with the Rangers and Devils
Weekes signed with the New York Rangers in 2004. He won his first game with them on October 5, 2005. An injury later caused him to lose his starting spot to Henrik Lundqvist. Lundqvist became a star, but Weekes remained a good teammate.
On July 5, 2007, he joined the New Jersey Devils. He was a backup to the famous goalie Martin Brodeur. When Brodeur was injured in 2008-09, Weekes and Scott Clemmensen shared the starting role. Weekes retired from playing hockey on September 27, 2009.
Kevin Weekes' Broadcasting Career
After retiring from playing, Kevin Weekes made history in 2009. He became the first black analyst in ice hockey. He provides commentary for NHL games on NHL Network and Hockey Night in Canada. The Hockey News even named him one of the Top 40 most powerful people in hockey under 40.
Joining ESPN
In 2021, Weekes started working as an analyst for ESPN. He appeared during their coverage of the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft and the 2021 NHL Draft.
Viral Trade Deadline Videos
During the 2022 NHL trade deadline, Weekes became very popular on social media. He started reporting on trades from unusual places. He posted selfie videos from a barber's chair or with the New York City skyline behind him.
Fans loved it and started making funny memes. They would change the background to make it look like Weekes was reporting from space or famous landmarks. Weekes enjoyed the fun and even reported a trade with a small trash bin on his head! He continues to make these fun videos.
About Kevin Weekes' Life
Kevin Weekes was born in Toronto, Ontario. His parents moved to Canada from Barbados.
Sometimes, Weekes wore jersey number 80. He wanted to wear 00, but the NHL does not allow it. So, he picked the number that looked most like 00. When he joined the New Jersey Devils, he wore number 1. This was because the team's general manager preferred players to wear numbers 1-40.
Weekes also appeared on TV shows. He was on the soap operas All My Children and One Life to Live. In 2008, he was in an episode of Everybody Hates Chris. In February 2023, Weekes became an American citizen.
Images for kids
-
Weekes in 2012
-
Weekes with the New Jersey Devils
