Evander Kane Departs the NHL After 16 Seasons and 1,001 Games Across Six Franchises

Evander Kane departs the NHL after 16 seasons, having accumulated 339 goals and 648 points across 1,001 regular-season games for six different franchises.

The veteran forward is now preparing to take his professional hockey career across the ocean.

His agent, Dan Milstein, confirmed on Wednesday that the 35-year-old winger is set to play in Russia.

A formal contract with a Kontinental Hockey League team is expected to be finalized within days.

The move ends a long stretch of free-agent uncertainty that followed the conclusion of his contract in North America.

ANNOUNCING THE MOVE ABROAD

Milstein broke the news during an appearance on Daily Faceoff's DFO Insider program with hosts Jeff Marek and David Pagnotta.

The hockey insider show shared a video clip of the confirmation across social media platforms on X.

Milstein explained that his client had options to remain in North America before making the final call.

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

The representative added that negotiations had reached their concluding stages.

“We’re very close to signing a deal with a KHL team,” Milstein noted.

“So, over the next couple of days or so, we’ll make an announcement.”

Milstein confirmed Kane’s commitment for the 2026-27 campaign.

“He will be playing the season in Russia at the KHL level,” Milstein stated.

While the agreement is close, Milstein did not disclose the specific club Kane will join.

A final team announcement will come once the paperwork is completed.

A PROLIFIC CAREER ACROSS SIX FRANCHISES

Kane’s departure marks the conclusion of a notable 16-season run at the highest level of North American hockey.

He first broke into the league with the Atlanta Thrashers.

He then made the move north when the organization relocated to become the Winnipeg Jets.

Kane later spent time with the Buffalo Sabres and the San Jose Sharks.

His career then took him to the Edmonton Oilers before his final stop with the Vancouver Canucks.

Across those six franchises, Kane appeared in exactly 1,001 regular-season NHL games.

Reaching the 1,000-game plateau represents one of the most respected durability milestones in professional hockey.

He finishes his NHL tenure with 339 career goals and 309 assists, totaling 648 points.

Kane established himself early on as a physical, scoring winger capable of changing games with his shot.

He eclipsed the 30-goal mark on two separate occasions during his peak years.

His first 30-goal campaign arrived with the Winnipeg Jets during the 2011-12 season.

He reached that milestone again with the San Jose Sharks in the 2018-19 season.

POSTSEASON RUNS IN EDMONTON

Kane produced some of his most memorable hockey during his tenure with the Edmonton Oilers.

He made an immediate impact upon arriving in northern Alberta.

During the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs, Kane enjoyed an extraordinary scoring run.

He scored 13 postseason goals for Edmonton that spring.

That total led the entire National Hockey League in playoff goal scoring that year.

Kane also played a significant role in deep playoff runs with the franchise.

He helped the Oilers reach back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals in 2024 and 2025.

Those postseason appearances provided Kane with valuable championship-round experience on the sport's biggest stage.

Following the 2024-25 season, Edmonton moved the veteran forward.

The Oilers traded Kane home to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick in 2025.

THE FINAL NHL CHAPTER IN VANCOUVER

The trade to Vancouver gave Kane an opportunity to represent his hometown club.

His tenure with the Canucks lasted for the 2025-26 campaign.

In 71 games for Vancouver, Kane posted 13 goals and 18 assists for 31 points.

He also recorded a minus-20 rating during that span.

It proved to be a difficult season for the organization as a whole.

The Canucks struggled in the standings and finished last place in the Western Conference.

That campaign marked Kane's final on-ice action in the NHL.

SUMMER UNCERTAINTY IN FREE AGENCY

Kane’s previous NHL contract officially expired on July 1, making him an unrestricted free agent.

However, a new NHL contract did not materialize when the open market began.

Kane remained without a team throughout the entire summer months.

He also stayed unsigned through the first month of the 2026-27 NHL regular season.

Reports surfaced in August indicating that his asking price had dropped toward the league minimum.

Russian sports outlet Sport-Express reported around that time that Ak Bars Kazan was considering Kane.

Other veteran free agents from Kane's class managed to secure late NHL contracts as autumn arrived.

Forward David Perron remained unsigned until mid-October before securing a one-year, $850,000 deal with the Dallas Stars.

Michael Bunting signed a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Flyers on October 6 carrying a $1.2 million cap hit.

Defenseman Carson Soucy attended training camp on a professional tryout before earning a one-year, $1.15 million contract in Columbus on September 29.

Kane and his camp ultimately decided to pursue an alternative path overseas.

A FAMILIAR DESTINATION

Playing in the KHL will not be an entirely new experience for Kane.