By Ella Tsotsos, The Hockey News intern
Mike Evelyn grew up pursuing hockey, but he became a Canadian Olympian after making a significant pivot.
Born in Nepean, Ont., Evelyn pursued hockey by playing on the Nepean Raiders, the Ottawa Jr. Senators and eventually at Dalhousie University in U Sports.
During his five years playing forward at Dalhousie and obtaining a degree in electrical engineering, Evelyn's sister mentioned a sport that lit a new course for him: bobsledding.
While a professional hockey career wasn't working out for him, Evelyn knew his time in sports wasn't over. A transition between sports was possible – and he was ready to pursue it.
"The depth of talent in Canada for hockey is so deep," Evelyn said. "We have so many talented athletes who might not be a superstar hockey player, but they could still be a great athlete."
Evelyn played over 125 games at Dalhousie, totalling 22 goals and 14 assists for 36 points between 2014 and 2019. But in 2018, as he transitioned to bobsledding, he earned a spot at RBC Training Ground in 2018. The training program identifies which athletes have what it takes to play at the Olympic level.
Evelyn said he tried out the local training ground before a hockey game. He made a good impression and was invited back for a second session.
Once he attended a Bobsledding Canada Skeleton pilot school in Calgary in December 2018, he never looked back.
"Realizing, 'just because my hockey career was over didn't mean my sports career was over,' was a really special feeling and is something I wish on everybody retiring in hockey in Canada, that they try something else," Evelyn said.
After graduating in 2019, Evelyn formally joined the Canadian team in October 2019.
Evelyn's first victory was the four-man race in Park City, Utah, in December 2019. He then made his IBSF World Cup debut in 2021 and finished in the top 10 twice at the 2021 IBSF World Championships.
In 2022, Evelyn became an Olympian.
He represented Canada at the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing, where he finished in the top 10 in the two-man and four-man events.
Although Evelyn found a new career in bobsledding, he still remembers who he looked up to when he played hockey.
"I always looked up to Joe Sakic, who was my favorite hockey player growing up," he said. "That moment where he hands Ray Bourque the Stanley Cup before he lifts it himself is just so special, and he's just a class act."
For many athletes attempting to transition from sports, an opportunity awaits. Evelyn found that opportunity, and he's representing Canada because of it.
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