Evander Kane Set to Leave NHL for Russia as KHL Move Nears

Evander Kane's long NHL career looks set to come to an end, with the veteran forward expected to sign with a team in Russia's KHL in the coming days. Kane's agent, Dan Milstein, said the 35-year-old had options in North America but chose to take his career to Russia, adding that a deal is very close and an announcement should follow within days. Kane has been without a club since his contract with the Vancouver Canucks expired at the end of last season. The forward played 1,001 NHL games across spells with Atlanta, Winnipeg, Buffalo, San Jose, Edmonton and Vancouver, scoring 339 goals and 648 points. His best years came with the Oilers, where he scored 22 goals in 43 games in his first season and led the 2022 play-offs with 13 goals in 15 games. Kane's final NHL season brought 13 goals and 31 points in 71 games for Vancouver. His later career was shaped by injuries, including a serious wrist injury in November 2022 that cost him the entire 2024-25 regular season before he returned for the play-offs. If the KHL move is completed, it closes a colourful and often controversial chapter in the NHL.