Former OHL player tragically passes away at young age of 23

News broke out late last week of the sad passing of 23-year-old Kurtis Evans, a former player with the North Bay Battalion. Suddenly taken from life, his former team and the Ontario Hockey League in which he was touted as one of the most promising young athletes have been plunged into grief and unbelievable shock.

Kurtis Evans was an exceptionally talented player from a young age into his minor hockey career out of Uxbridge, Ontario. He was selected in the third round of the 2017 OHL Priority Selection and has been a member of the North Bay Battalion since the 2017-18 season until 2019. Evans began his minor hockey career with the Central Ontario Wolves AAA program, where he displayed promise and was tagged as one of the top prospects for the Battalion going into the OHL draft.

Evans' influence went far beyond his feet touching the ice. He was a young man committed to dedication, sportsmanship, and camaraderie; thus, he commanded respect from all teammates, coaches, and fans alike. He just loved the game so that every time he stepped onto the rink, it became just so obvious, and that is what makes his loss so heartbreaking to people who knew him.

But more than that, though, Evans was a loved and valued member of his own family, a family that has supported him relentlessly through the years. Surviving him are his parents, Brad and Holly, and his brother, Jackson. His friends and family remember him for his warmth, kindness, and his courage in fighting cancer. It is a devastating loss to those who knew him best both on and off the ice.

The Ontario Hockey League extended its deepest sympathies to the Evans family and to all whose lives he touched. As the hockey fraternity reflects on his memory, Kurtis Evans will be a lasting inspiration to many. His love for the game and the courageous manner in which he fought a cruel battle with cancer will never be forgotten.