Evander Kane Chose KHL Move Despite North American Interest, Agent Dan Milstein Reveals

Evander Kane is finalizing a contract to play in the KHL despite receiving interest from teams in North America, according to his agent Dan Milstein.

The 35-year-old veteran winger spent the summer looking at his options before deciding to continue his professional playing career overseas.

Milstein shared the unexpected update during an appearance on DFO Insider with hockey analysts Jeff Marek and David Pagnotta.

According to the agent, Kane had opportunities to remain on home soil before choosing a fresh chapter in Russia.

"We had a couple of things here in North America, but in the end, Evander decided to take his talents to Russia," Milstein said.

Milstein explained that an agreement with a Russian club is already at the finish line.

"We're very close to signing a deal with a KHL team. So, over the next couple of days or so, we'll make an announcement."

Milstein added that the forward will definitely be competing in Russia's top league this upcoming winter.

"But he'll be playing the season in Russia at the KHL level," Milstein confirmed.

As of now, the specific KHL franchise has not been named, and no Russian team has published an official roster addition.

AN UNEXPECTED DEPARTURE

The move effectively signals the conclusion of Kane's dramatic and eventful tenure in the National Hockey League.

Kane entered the recent offseason as an unrestricted free agent without a guaranteed contract for the 2026-27 campaign.

Speculation had swirled around whether another NHL club would take a chance on the physical goal-scorer.

Milstein's remarks confirm that interest did exist within North American circles before Kane made his choice.

Rather than waiting out NHL training camps or settling for local offers, Kane opted for a major change in scenery.

His departure brings an end to a sixteen-season NHL career that spanned six different franchises.

Across that stretch, Kane established himself as one of the most polarizing and productive power forwards of his era.

LAST STOP IN VANCOUVER

Kane spent the 2025-26 season playing for his hometown Vancouver Canucks.

He had arrived in Vancouver after being dealt by the Edmonton Oilers prior to the final year of his contract.

Suiting up for his home city brought genuine excitement to local supporters.

Kane skated in 71 regular-season contests for the Canucks during that single campaign.

He contributed 13 goals and 18 assists, finishing the season with 31 points.

While he continued to provide a physical presence on the ice, his scoring production was lower than his career peak.

When the season wrapped up, the unrestricted free agent could not secure a new NHL deal to keep him in North America.

His camp surveyed the hockey landscape, leading directly to the discussions that produced his looming KHL deal.

THE IMPACT IN EDMONTON

Before landing in Vancouver, Kane experienced some of the highest team highs of his career with the Edmonton Oilers.

He originally joined the Oilers in January 2022 after his turbulent exit from the San Jose Sharks.

Edmonton offered a fresh start, and Kane immediately capitalized on the opportunity on the ice.

In his first 43 regular-season appearances with the Oilers, he found the back of the net 22 times.

His postseason performance that spring was even more dominant.

Kane led all NHL skaters during the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs by scoring 13 goals in just 15 games.

That remarkable scoring touch earned him a major financial reward that very summer.

The Oilers signed him to a four-year contract extension worth $20.5 million.

Kane quickly developed into a vital core component inside Edmonton's top forward groups.

BACK-TO-BACK STANLEY CUP FINALS

With Kane providing grit and goal-scoring, the Oilers reached the Stanley Cup Final in consecutive campaigns.

Those championship appearances represented the pinnacle of postseason success during Kane's time in the league.

However, both trips to the Stanley Cup Final ended in heartbreak for Edmonton.

The Oilers were defeated both times by the Florida Panthers, leaving Kane just short of hockey's ultimate team prize.

Over the course of his entire tenure in Edmonton, Kane played in 161 regular-season games.

He registered 62 goals and added 49 assists during his time in an Oilers sweater.

Before the final season of that lucrative four-year pact, Edmonton chose to trade him away to Vancouver.

THE SHARKS YEARS AND TURMOIL

Kane's successful run in Edmonton came directly on the heels of the most turbulent chapter of his career with the San Jose Sharks.

He had joined the Sharks in 2018 and enjoyed significant on-ice success early in his tenure.

During the 2018-19 season in San Jose, he reached the 30-goal threshold for the second time in his NHL career.

Yet, off-ice complications and league disciplinary issues began to overshadow his offensive output.

In 2021, Kane filed for personal bankruptcy, detailing millions of dollars in outstanding debts.

That same year, the NHL handed Kane a 21-game suspension for violating league COVID-19 health protocols by submitting a falsified vaccination card.

Matters reached a breaking point in January 2022 when the Sharks abruptly terminated his contract.

San Jose cited a breach of his standard player contract as the justification for ending the agreement.

The NHL Players' Association stepped in immediately, filing a formal grievance challenging San Jose's termination.

The two sides ultimately reached a settlement to resolve the grievance without a prolonged hearing.

Kane also faced serious allegations regarding his personal life during that timeframe, several of which he publicly denied.

While those allegations remained disputed, the relentless controversies followed him wherever he played.

EARLY DAYS IN ATLANTA AND WINNIPEG

Long before the controversies in San Jose, Kane began his professional journey as a blue-chip prospect.

The Atlanta Thrashers selected him fourth overall in the first round of the 2009 NHL Draft.

He made his NHL debut at just 18 years old, jumping directly into the toughest hockey league in the world.

When the Thrashers franchise relocated to Canada, Kane moved north with the team to become a Winnipeg Jet.

He enjoyed a breakout campaign during the 2011-12 season in Winnipeg, scoring 30 goals.

Yet his relationship with teammates and the organization grew increasingly strained over time.

A widely publicized incident in 2015 saw veteran defenseman Dustin Byfuglien throw Kane's tracksuit into a shower.