Last Updated on November 11, 2026 by Carmen Marins

Ryker Evans is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who plays as a defenseman for the Seattle Kraken in the National Hockey League (NHL). Born on December 13, 2001, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Evans has established himself as a promising NHL defenseman known for his skating ability, offensive instincts, and determination.
Beyond his professional hockey career, Evans comes from a supportive Canadian family with strong connections to competitive ice hockey. His parents, Mike and Lisa Evans, encouraged his development from childhood, while his younger sister, Payten Evans, also pursued a successful collegiate hockey career.
His father previously played college and professional hockey before becoming a power-skating coach who trained several future NHL stars.
In his romantic life, Evans has a girlfriend named Mariah, whose relationship with the Seattle Kraken defenseman was publicly acknowledged in July 2025.
Here is everything publicly known about Ryker Evans’ girlfriend, children, parents, and siblings.
Ryker Evans’ Girlfriend: Who Is Mariah?
Ryker Evans has been publicly identified as being in a relationship with a woman named Mariah.
Their relationship was confirmed in an article published by The Hockey News on July 20, 2025, titled “Undrafted to Team Canada: How Ryker Evans Went From Draft Day Disappointment to the World Championship.”
The publication reported that Evans received support from his girlfriend Mariah, his parents, and his younger sister while representing Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Championship.
Although the report established that he was in a relationship, it did not disclose Mariah’s surname, age, profession, or other personal information.
Evans has generally maintained a relatively private romantic life, focusing his public interviews on hockey, family, and his professional development.
What Is Ryker Evans’ Girlfriend’s Full Name?
The full name of Ryker Evans’ girlfriend has not been independently confirmed in the reliable reporting reviewed for this profile.
The Hockey News identified her only as Mariah in July 2025.
Additional details about how the couple met, when their relationship began, and whether they have made plans for marriage have not been widely documented.
Although their relationship was publicly acknowledged in 2025, a more recent independent confirmation of their relationship status was not established in the sources reviewed.
Is Ryker Evans Married?
There is no reliable public confirmation that Ryker Evans is married.
The Hockey News described Mariah as his girlfriend in July 2025, and no subsequent verified marriage announcement was identified.
Therefore, his latest publicly documented relationship status is dating rather than married.
Does Ryker Evans Have Children?
There is no verified public information indicating that Ryker Evans has children.
The Seattle Kraken defenseman has not publicly announced having a son or daughter, and his official NHL and NHL Players’ Association biographies do not identify any children.
Although Evans has spoken about his parents, sister, and girlfriend, he has not publicly confirmed becoming a father.
Consequently, claims that he has children should not be considered factual without reliable supporting evidence.
Ryker Evans’ Parents
Ryker Evans was born to Mike Evans and Lisa Evans in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Both parents played important roles in his upbringing and development as an ice hockey player.
Their identities are confirmed in official Seattle Kraken reporting and in the collegiate hockey biography of Ryker’s younger sister, Payten Evans.
The family has maintained strong connections to Calgary, where Evans spent his childhood and began his competitive hockey career.
Ryker Evans’ Father: Mike Evans
Mike Evans is Ryker Evans’ father and one of the most important influences on his hockey career.
Mike has an extensive background in competitive ice hockey, having played collegiate hockey at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
According to Mercyhurst University Athletics, he also played professional hockey in Germany after his college career.
Following his playing career, Mike became involved in coaching and hockey skills development.
He established a reputation as a power-skating instructor, helping young players improve their skating techniques, balance, speed, and overall performance.
According to a Seattle Kraken feature published on November 1, 2026, Mike operated a power-skating business called Core Power.
Mike Evans’ Career as a Hockey Coach
Mike Evans worked with several young players who eventually established successful NHL careers.
His former skating students included Cale Makar, Josh Morrissey, Brayden Point, and Dillon Dubé.
His coaching experience gave Ryker access to high-level skating instruction from an early age.
According to the Seattle Kraken, Ryker began skating when he was approximately two years old.
As a young child, he regularly attended his father’s skating sessions and sometimes shared the ice with older players who later became NHL stars.
Evans recalled being approximately eight to ten years old while practicing alongside players who were significantly older and more experienced.
These experiences helped him develop the skating abilities that eventually became one of his greatest strengths as a professional defenseman.
In December 2023, Evans explained to Sound Of Hockey that his father’s work as a power-skating coach played an important role in his development.
Because he was smaller than many opponents during childhood, strong skating skills allowed him to remain competitive against physically larger players.
Mike Evans’ Support During Ryker’s NHL Journey
Mike continued supporting his son as he progressed through competitive minor hockey and eventually joined the Regina Pats in the Western Hockey League.
Despite Ryker’s abilities, he was not selected in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.
The disappointment became an important turning point in his career.
Mike encouraged Ryker to continue training, improve his physical strength, and maintain confidence in his abilities.
On July 24, 2021, Mike was watching the NHL Draft with the rest of the family when the Seattle Kraken selected his son in the second round, 35th overall.
According to a first-person article written by Ryker for the Seattle Kraken in June 2022, his father was initially stunned by how early his son had been selected.
After the announcement, Mike reminded Ryker that reaching the draft was only the beginning of the work required to become a professional player.
The family celebrated together at their Calgary home, sharing an emotional moment after years of preparation.
Mike Evans and the Seattle Kraken Dads and Mentors Trip
Mike has remained closely connected to Ryker throughout his NHL career.
In December 2025, he participated in the Seattle Kraken’s Dads and Mentors Trip, which brought together fathers and mentors of several players.
During an interview with the team’s official website, Mike explained that he continued communicating with his son almost every day.
Although Ryker had become an independent professional athlete, Mike still enjoyed offering advice and sharing jokes with him.
He also expressed appreciation for the Kraken organization’s role in helping young players adjust to professional hockey and independent living.
Their continued relationship demonstrates how important Mike remains in Ryker’s personal and professional life.
Ryker Evans’ Mother: Lisa Evans
Lisa Evans is Ryker Evans’ mother and another important influence on his upbringing.
She raised Ryker and his younger sister Payten alongside her husband Mike in Calgary, Alberta.
Her name is confirmed in official college athletics records and in NHL.com coverage of her son’s professional debut.
Lisa supported Ryker throughout his youth hockey development, including his participation in competitive hockey programs and his transition to junior hockey.
She also supported Payten as she developed into a talented women’s hockey defenseman.
Although Lisa’s professional occupation has not been reliably established in widely available reporting, her involvement in her children’s hockey careers is well documented.
Lisa Evans’ Emotional Reaction to Ryker’s NHL Draft Selection
One of Lisa Evans’ most memorable experiences occurred during the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.
On July 24, 2021, the family gathered at home in Calgary to follow the draft.
Ryker was still downstairs getting ready for the day when he heard his parents and sister celebrating.
Seattle had selected him with the 35th overall pick.
In his June 2022 article for the Seattle Kraken, Ryker recalled that his mother and sister were overcome with emotion following the announcement.
After receiving a telephone call from Kraken general manager Ron Francis, Ryker joined his parents and sister in celebrating the achievement.
Lisa expressed pride in the dedication her son had demonstrated throughout his development.
She had witnessed his disappointment when he went undrafted in 2020 and understood how much the opportunity meant to him.
Lisa Evans and Ryker’s NHL Debut
Lisa also celebrated another important milestone when Ryker made his NHL debut on December 7, 2023, against the New Jersey Devils.
Both Lisa and Mike appeared in an NHL.com video discussing the occasion.
The experience represented the fulfillment of a dream that Ryker had pursued since childhood.
His parents had watched him progress from a young skater in Calgary to a professional NHL defenseman.
The opportunity to witness his debut made the years of family support particularly meaningful.
Ryker Evans’ Relationship With His Mother
Ryker continues to maintain a close relationship with Lisa despite living away from his childhood home.
In a Seattle Kraken feature published on November 1, 2026, the team described how Ryker visited his parents during a road trip to Calgary.
Lisa prepared one of his favorite homemade meals: sweet-and-sour meatballs with pasta, Caesar salad, and apple crisp.
The family spent the evening sharing jokes and enjoying time together.
Mike and Lisa described their household as one where dry humor and sarcasm were common.
Although Ryker can appear quiet during public interviews, his parents explained that he becomes much more outgoing around people he knows well.
The Kraken also reported that his parents had visited him in Seattle, spending time fishing on Lake Washington and exploring the city.
These visits demonstrate the strong connection between Ryker and his family despite the demands of professional hockey.
Ryker Evans’ Siblings
Ryker Evans has one publicly confirmed sibling: a younger sister named Payten Evans.
Both Ryker and Payten developed into competitive hockey defensemen, continuing their father’s connection to the sport.
Their relationship is confirmed in official Seattle Kraken reporting and collegiate athletics biographies from Merrimack College and Mercyhurst University.
Ryker Evans’ Sister: Payten Evans
Payten Evans is Ryker Evans’ younger sister and a Canadian ice hockey player.
She was born on May 29, 2004, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, making her approximately two and a half years younger than Ryker.
Like her older brother, Payten developed an interest in competitive hockey from childhood.
She became a defenseman and progressed through youth and junior hockey programs in western Canada.
Payten attended Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in Saskatchewan, where she played for the Notre Dame Hounds.
During the 2021–22 season, she became one of the team’s leading defensemen and earned recognition for her performances.
According to official Merrimack College records, she was named the Saskatchewan Female U18 AAA Hockey League’s top defenseman for the 2021–22 season.
She also helped her team win a provincial championship and compete in the 2022 Esso Cup national championship.
Payten Evans’ College Hockey Career at Merrimack
After completing her junior hockey development, Payten committed to Merrimack College in Massachusetts.
She joined the Merrimack Warriors women’s hockey team for the 2022–23 NCAA season.
During her freshman year, she appeared in 35 games and received recognition for her defensive performances.
In December 2022, Payten was named Hockey East Defender of the Month.
She also earned Hockey East Rookie of the Week honors.
Payten continued playing regularly for Merrimack over the following two seasons.
During the 2024–25 season, she appeared in all 36 games and recorded two goals and four assists for six points.
She also ranked among the team’s leading players in blocked shots.
Her consistent performances demonstrated the skating ability and defensive awareness that had become important characteristics of the Evans family’s hockey background.
Payten Evans’ Transfer to Mercyhurst University
After three seasons at Merrimack College, Payten transferred to Mercyhurst University in Pennsylvania for the 2025–26 season.
According to Mercyhurst Athletics, she joined the Lakers as a senior defenseman and continued studying business management.
Her final collegiate season was particularly productive.
Payten appeared in all 37 games, recording eight goals and 12 assists for 20 points.
She also recorded 63 blocked shots, ranking second on the team.
Her achievements included selection to the All-Atlantic Hockey America Second Team and recognition as a conference defenseman of the month.
These accomplishments established Payten as a successful collegiate hockey player in her own right.
Ryker and Payten Evans’ Relationship
Ryker and Payten share a strong connection through their mutual passion for ice hockey.
Both siblings grew up in Calgary and benefited from their father’s extensive experience as a skating coach.
In June 2022, Ryker discussed his sister’s development in an article published by the Seattle Kraken.
He revealed that Payten had recently committed to Merrimack College and was pursuing her own ambitions in women’s hockey.
When Seattle selected Ryker in the 2021 NHL Draft, Payten was home with their parents.
She was among the family members celebrating enthusiastically after hearing his name announced.
Later, when Ryker signed his first NHL contract in April 2022, their parents arranged to travel to watch Payten compete in a tournament with the Notre Dame Hounds.
The family’s willingness to support both children’s sporting careers demonstrates the importance placed on encouraging each sibling’s development.
Payten Evans and the 2025 World Championship
Payten also supported her older brother when he represented Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Championship.
According to The Hockey News, Payten joined their parents and Ryker’s girlfriend Mariah in supporting him during the international tournament.
The occasion represented another significant achievement for the family.
Ryker expressed pride in wearing Canada’s national team jersey and competing alongside established NHL players.
Having his family present made the experience especially meaningful.
Does Ryker Evans Have a Brother?
There is no reliable public information identifying a brother of Ryker Evans.
Payten’s official Mercyhurst University biography identifies Ryker as her only brother, while Seattle Kraken reporting consistently identifies Payten as his younger sister.
Therefore, Payten is Ryker’s only publicly documented sibling.
Ryker Evans’ Extended Family
Ryker Evans also has relatives who have participated in competitive ice hockey.
Elite Prospects identifies Colton Deschamps and Madison Deschamps as his cousins.
However, detailed information about their family relationships and personal backgrounds has not been extensively documented in official Seattle Kraken reporting.
The strongest publicly established family connections remain his parents, Mike and Lisa Evans, and his younger sister, Payten.
How Ryker Evans’ Family Influenced His Hockey Career
Ryker Evans’ hockey journey began in Calgary, Alberta, where he developed his skating skills under the guidance of his father.
His early development included participation in the Shaw Meadows Minor Hockey Association.
As a child, Evans regularly practiced skating and worked on his defensive skills while also attending sessions conducted by Mike Evans.
Despite being smaller than many opponents during his teenage years, Ryker continued improving his abilities.
In 2016, the Regina Pats selected him in the tenth round of the Western Hockey League Bantam Draft.
He eventually became one of the team’s most productive defensemen.
During the shortened 2020–21 WHL season, Evans recorded three goals and 25 assists for 28 points in 24 games.
His performances attracted attention from NHL scouts.
Ryker Evans’ Selection by the Seattle Kraken
On July 24, 2021, the Seattle Kraken selected Evans in the second round, 35th overall, of the NHL Entry Draft.
The selection was especially meaningful because he had previously gone undrafted.
His parents and sister celebrated the announcement together at their Calgary home.
Evans subsequently returned to Regina for the 2021–22 season before signing his three-year entry-level contract with Seattle in April 2022.
He began his professional development with the Charlotte Checkers before joining the Coachella Valley Firebirds.
Ryker Evans’ Professional Hockey Career
During the 2022–23 season, Evans became an important defenseman for Coachella Valley, Seattle’s American Hockey League affiliate.
He recorded 44 points in 71 regular-season games and helped the Firebirds reach the Calder Cup Final.
Evans received recognition on the AHL All-Rookie Team for his impressive performances.
He made his NHL debut with the Seattle Kraken on December 7, 2023, against the New Jersey Devils.
On March 22, 2024, he scored his first NHL goal during a game against the Arizona Coyotes.
During the 2024–25 season, Evans established himself as a regular NHL defenseman, recording five goals and 20 assists for 25 points in 73 games.
His progress earned him a two-year contract extension worth $4.1 million with Seattle on August 11, 2025.
In November 2026, Seattle Kraken reporting highlighted Evans’ growing confidence, stronger on-ice performances, and increasingly outgoing personality.
Throughout his journey, he has credited his family, especially his father, for helping him develop the skating skills and determination needed to succeed.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ryker Evans’ Family
Who is Ryker Evans’ girlfriend?
Ryker Evans was publicly identified as being in a relationship with a woman named Mariah in July 2025. Her surname and additional personal details have not been reliably disclosed.
Is Ryker Evans married?
There is no verified public information confirming that Ryker Evans is married.
Does Ryker Evans have children?
There is no reliable public confirmation that Ryker Evans has children.
Who are Ryker Evans’ parents?
His parents are Mike Evans and Lisa Evans, who raised him and his younger sister in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
What does Ryker Evans’ father do?
Mike Evans is a former college and professional hockey player who became a power-skating coach. His students have included several future NHL stars, including Cale Makar, Josh Morrissey, and Brayden Point.
Who is Ryker Evans’ mother?
His mother is Lisa Evans, who has supported both Ryker and his sister Payten throughout their hockey careers.
Does Ryker Evans have siblings?
Yes. Ryker Evans has a younger sister named Payten Evans, who also plays competitive ice hockey.
Who is Ryker Evans’ sister?
Payten Evans is Ryker’s younger sister, born on May 29, 2004. She played NCAA Division I women’s hockey at Merrimack College and Mercyhurst University.
Does Ryker Evans have a brother?
No brother has been publicly identified in reliable reporting. His younger sister Payten is his only documented sibling.
Did Ryker Evans’ father play professional hockey?
Yes. Mike Evans played college hockey at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and later competed professionally in Germany.
Where is Ryker Evans’ family from?
The Evans family is from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, where Ryker and his younger sister grew up.
Did Ryker Evans’ family attend the 2025 World Championship?
Yes. His parents, girlfriend Mariah, and younger sister Payten were among the people supporting him when he represented Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Championship.
Combining a deep passion for hockey with an analytical mindset, Carmen Marins covers the NHL from the opening night of the season all the way through the Stanley Cup playoffs. She focuses on game strategy, team chemistry, trade deadline updates, and player performance metrics, breaking down high-speed ice action into engaging, accessible insights for readers.
