Evander Kane Ditches NHL for Shock Move to Russia

Former Canucks forward Evander Kane is leaving the NHL to play in Russia.

His agent, Dan Milstein, confirmed the move Wednesday on the DFO Insider podcast.

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

"We're very close to signing a deal with a KHL team."

An announcement is expected within days.

Kane, 34, became an unrestricted free agent after finishing the 2025-26 season with the Vancouver Canucks.

His final NHL campaign was a disaster.

In 71 games with Vancouver, Kane scored 13 goals and added 18 assists.

The Canucks finished dead last in the league.

Kane was one of the worst players on the worst team.

The Athletic gave him a rare "F" grade for his performance.

No NHL team offered him a professional tryout contract for training camp.

It was a stunning fall for a player who was once a top-five draft pick.

The Atlanta Thrashers selected Kane fourth overall in the 2009 NHL Draft.

He went on to play for Winnipeg, Buffalo, San Jose, Edmonton and Vancouver.

His NHL career spanned 17 seasons and 1,001 regular-season games.

He finished with 339 goals and 309 assists for 648 points.

He also played 97 playoff games, recording 55 points.

His best years came in Edmonton.

Kane helped the Oilers reach consecutive Stanley Cup Finals in 2024 and 2025.

But his time in Edmonton ended in a trade that still looks lopsided.

The Vancouver Canucks acquired Kane from the Oilers before the 2025-26 season.

The Canucks took on Kane's contract without any salary retention.

That gave Edmonton salary cap relief.

Vancouver received no compensation for the favor.

The Canucks also sent a fourth-round pick to the Oilers.

That same pick had originally been traded from Edmonton to Vancouver for Vasily Podkolzin.

Podkolzin has thrived in Edmonton.

Optics-wise, it was essentially the Canucks trading Podkolzin for Kane.

That trade has not aged well.

When Vancouver's season went sideways, the team hoped to recoup a draft pick for Kane at the trade deadline.

But the deadline came and went with Kane still on the roster.

His poor play had destroyed his trade value.

Kane built his reputation as a physical, offensive winger.

He was known for his willingness to fight and his ability to score near the net.

But age and injuries caught up with him.

He missed the entire 2024-25 regular season recovering from surgery.

When he returned, he was a shell of his former self.

The KHL now offers Kane a chance to extend his career.

The Kontinental Hockey League is based in Russia and includes teams from several other countries.

It is widely considered the second-best hockey league in the world, behind the NHL.

Many former NHL players have finished their careers there.

The identity of Kane's new team has not been announced.

Milstein said the deal is close but did not name the club.

Kane's decision to play in Russia comes amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.

The war in Ukraine has led many North American players to avoid the KHL.

Some players have faced criticism for signing there.

But Kane's options in North America were essentially zero.

No NHL team wanted him.

Not even on a tryout.

His agent made that clear.

"We had a couple of things here in North America," Milstein said.

But those "couple of things" never materialized into a contract.

So Kane chose Russia.

His departure closes a complicated NHL legacy.

Kane was never far from controversy.

He filed for bankruptcy in 2021 despite earning more than $50 million in his career.

He was sued by a casino for unpaid gambling debts.

His ex-wife accused him of domestic violence and gambling addiction.

Kane denied the allegations.

No criminal charges were filed.

But the off-ice drama followed him from team to team.

In San Jose, he was stripped of his captaincy.

The Sharks placed him on unconditional waivers and terminated his contract.

That led to a grievance and a settlement.

The Oilers took a chance on him in 2022.

For a time, it worked.

Kane scored 22 goals in 43 games down the stretch and helped Edmonton reach the Western Conference Final.

He signed a four-year, $20.5 million contract extension.

But injuries limited him to 31 games in 2023-24.

He returned for the playoffs and helped Edmonton reach the Stanley Cup Final.

The Oilers lost to Florida in seven games.

In 2024-25, Kane missed the entire regular season after hip surgery.

He returned for the playoffs but was ineffective.

Edmonton reached the Stanley Cup Final again but lost to Florida in six games.

That summer, the Oilers traded Kane to Vancouver.

It was a salary dump.

Kane's contract had two years remaining at $5.125 million per season.

The Canucks took on the full cap hit.

In Vancouver, Kane was expected to provide secondary scoring and physicality.