VANCOUVER – Even off the ice, Evander Kane looked Thursday like a model Vancouver Canuck.

Seriously, he looked like a model.

For his first press conference in Vancouver, Kane wore a beautifully-tailored, broad check, double-breasted suit in Canuck colours of blue and green.

Canuck president Jim Rutherford asked him in a back room at Rogers Arena if the suit had been made in the day since the National Hockey League team took Kane and his $5.125-million-US salary from the Edmonton Oilers, bringing the left winger to his hometown team.

“I said, ‘No, I actually had this in my closet,’” Kane told reporters. “When I was planning on coming here, I wasn’t planning on packing it, but I said, ‘I’ve got to wear this for the interview.’ So it worked out well.”

Now, for the on-ice part. . .

One of the great things about professional sports is that every athlete, given their chance, has the opportunity to outperform criticism and perceived flaws.

Whether Kane, whose NHL name carries more baggage than a cruise ship on a month-long voyage, thinks the knocks against him are valid or not, he has the chance with the Canucks to change the narrative, a reformation that appears to have started in Edmonton over the last 3 ½ years – since the San Jose Sharks terminated his $49-million contract.

If the abrasive 33-year-old from East Vancouver performs to his abilities AND the Canucks win without any dressing-room drama, the scrutiny of Kane’s past and conjecture about his suitability as a teammate will largely dissipate.

“Character is a word that likes to get tossed out very casually,” he said. “You know, it can be often used as a weapon when describing somebody. I think what real character is, is somebody who shows you who they are when there’s scrutiny and adversity, and how they handle that. Obviously, there’s been some difficult times for myself. But I think I’ve come out of it better off and better for it. I think, you know, you learn and you grow each and every year.

“Going into Year 17 (in the NHL), obviously I have a tonne of experience. And I think, you know, my experiences can add a lot of value because they’re not all pretty. I think when you go through different things, on and off the ice, you can lend those lessons to some of the younger guys and some other guys that are maybe struggling with things. Just being mentally tough, especially in a Canadian market, can be important. And it can be difficult when you’re not used to it. So I think leadership is something that I’ve always tried to do and lead by example, especially on the ice.”

As far as we know, in 16 years and nearly 1,000 regular-season and playoff games, Kane has not worn a letter on the front of his NHL jersey. And he won’t be getting an ‘A’ next season from Adam Foote unless there is an explosion of alphabet soup in the Canuck coach’s room.

But if Kane can be the best version of himself – as general manager Patrik Allvin said Wednesday: perform on the ice and obey team rules – he absolutely can help the Canucks win hockey games.

Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller were never close during their 5 ½ seasons as teammates. But the tension between them didn’t become untenable until last fall when Pettersson emerged from the summer in disappointing shape, then struggled badly as the Canucks stumbled out of the gate.

Had the team instead amassed another 109 points last season, and Miller and Pettersson combined for 70 goals and 180 points, they’d both still be Canucks. Instead, Miller is in New York and now Kane is in Vancouver.

Kane, at least, should be in superb condition after missing the entire regular season this year to abdominal surgery last September. After the Oilers’ salary-dump, he sounds genuinely eager to please his new team. And he needs a strong season personally to earn another big contract when his current one expires in 12 months.

“I’ve never heard so many people talk about a contract year when it comes to me, when there’s so many other guys in contract years,” Kane said, clearly agitated by the inference he may try harder next season than he has in some past years. “It’s just incredible. I know I bring a lot of attention to a room and to a press conference and especially in a Canadian market, and it’s great. But I think every year I’ve ever played in the National Hockey League, I think I’ve always wanted to put my best foot forward and work as hard as I possibly could. I don’t think anybody can question that. This year is going to be no different.”

And his health, after missing half of Edmonton’s games over the last three years?

“Being able to get my body right, have the surgeries I had and get back to 100 per cent was a nice kind of reset for me,” he said. “Obviously, missing the whole year and having to jump into the playoffs (this spring) is never easy. I kind of drew on my experience from the year before playing hurt.

“For me, the time off and getting healthy has kind of allowed me to roll the clock back a little bit, in my opinion. Hopefully that can translate onto the ice.”

He appreciates that the Canucks, with gaping holes in their top-six forward group, wanted him and facilitated his wish to play in his hometown. Kane has four children ages five and under, and they’re going to see their grandparents much more often next season.

“You know, anybody who has kids understands that they automatically jump up to be the No. 1 priority in your life – for any good parent, anyways,” he explained. “And, you know, for me, that was no different. I have four of them. They’re all very young, and they’re all very excited to cheer dad on.

“The fan base here is fantastic. They’re passionate, they love their hockey. I was a young kid growing up watching Markus Naslund and the Sedins (Daniel and Henrik), Todd Bertuzzi and Donald Brashear and on and on and on, cheering for them. I have a lot of friends that I grew up with that have always been Canucks fans. I know what hockey means in this city, and I know what the Canucks mean to the people here. So I’m really privileged and honored to be part of that.”

With all eyes watching in this Canucks-obsessed town, Kane will get his chance to show off his skills. And his wardrobe.

“With regards to what I wear, what I drive in (to rinks) during the playoffs, you know, they’re very nice suits,” he said. “Like, really nice suits. And if you want to see me coming in looking like a slob, I can do that, too. Everybody seems incredibly welcoming. They want to have me here, which is a nice feeling. And, you know, when you feel wanted, you want to perform at your best.”