Evander Kane’s Agent Says He Has Decided to Play in Russia

“We had a couple of offers here in North America. But Evander has decided to play in Russia,” Dan Milstein, Kane’s agent, told the Daily Faceoff podcast, as reported by Expressen.

Evander Kane, one of the NHL’s most polarizing figures, is leaving North America to continue his career in Russia. A move to the Kontinental Hockey League is expected to be finalized within days, drawing a firm line under months of speculation about his next destination following a clubless summer.

“We are close to agreeing with a KHL team. In the next few days, we will have more to say. But he will play in Russia next season,” Milstein added.

Kane, 35, leaves behind a 17-season NHL career spanning over 1,000 games. During the previous season, the veteran forward suited up for the Vancouver Canucks, appearing in 75 games and recording 31 points built on 13 goals and 18 assists. His tenure in Vancouver concluded when his contract expired, leaving him unsigned as the new campaign began.

Though some NHL clubs pursued him, Kane ultimately prioritized a career shift abroad.

That decision marks the latest chapter for a player whose career has consistently combined elite production with intense off-ice friction.

In the winter of 2022, the San Jose Sharks suspended and ultimately released Kane after he submitted a fraudulent vaccination record to the league. The following year brought a civil lawsuit from a Las Vegas casino over unpaid gambling markers. He later filed for personal bankruptcy, disclosing debts totaling the equivalent of hundreds of millions of Swedish kronor, with tens of millions of kronor specifically tied to gambling.

His subsequent stint with the Edmonton Oilers from 2022 to 2025 featured two Stanley Cup Final appearances, but it was routinely punctuated by reports of friction with teammates. Following an Oilers loss to the Florida Panthers, Kane took a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct in the dying seconds of the decisive game, then bypassed the traditional post-game handshake line—a move widely condemned as a breach of NHL protocol.

The runway to his KHL move opened immediately upon the expiration of his NHL deal. Milstein noted that while North American options remained on the table, the 35-year-old Canadian forward made a clear choice.

“We had some clubs on the table in North America, but he has decided to continue in the KHL,” Milstein stated, as cited by Aftonbladet. While the specific franchise has not yet been named, Milstein confirmed that the agreement is nearly complete and will be made official imminently.

Neither Milstein nor the reporting outlets have disclosed the exact identity of the Russian club, but an official announcement is anticipated within days.

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