Evander Kane’s next stop appears to be Russia, not a return to Buffalo.
Dan Milstein, Kane’s agent, said on DFO Insider that the 35-year-old winger is “very close” to finishing a deal with an unnamed KHL team. The news all but shuts the door on any Sabres reunion for a player who spent three seasons in Buffalo from 2015-18 and made 196 appearances for the club.
Kane entered unrestricted free agency after putting up 31 points, with 13 goals and 18 assists, in 71 games last season for the Vancouver Canucks. He never found an NHL landing spot after that.
During his time with the Sabres, Kane produced 68 goals and 50 assists. He was one of the pieces former general manager Tim Murray brought in while trying to build around Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart, a plan that never got off the ground.
His NHL path has also included stops with the Atlanta Thrashers, Winnipeg Jets, San Jose Sharks and Edmonton Oilers. He reached 1,000 games late last season with Vancouver, his hometown team.
At this stage of his career, the 6-foot-2 power forward is no longer the kind of player teams are lining up to chase in free agency. His offense has tapered off, his defensive value has never been a calling card, and he has reached the 20-goal mark nine times but not recently enough to change the market.
A strong season in the KHL could give him another chance to get back into the NHL next year, even as his career starts to wind down.
For Buffalo, though, Kane was never much of a realistic option anyway.
The Sabres are trying to dig out of an early-season scoring slump. After finishing fifth in goals per game last season at 3.45, they’ve dropped to 23rd through 15 games in 2026-27 at 2.93.
Several players who were productive for Buffalo in the recent past have been quiet so far, including Josh Norris, Ryan McLeod, Josh Doan and Jason Zucker. Together, those four have managed just 10 points in 51 combined games.
General manager Jarmo Kekalainen has clearly been searching for more firepower. He pursued St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas at last season’s trade deadline, Patrick Kane in free agency and, most recently, Detroit Red Wings star Dylan Larkin.
None of those efforts worked out. With Alex Tuch gone, Buffalo has lost another important piece of its offense, and the need for a true difference-maker up front only looks bigger.
Evander Kane doesn’t fit that bill. He brings baggage, defensive issues and declining production, and he wouldn’t solve a problem that goes beyond one more depth scorer.
The Sabres already have plenty of middle- and bottom-six forwards. What they need is a high-end scorer who can ease the load on Tage Thompson and let Buffalo’s younger forwards settle into smaller roles with more confidence.
Kekalainen’s moves since taking over last December suggest he understands that. The next step is the hard one: landing a major trade or signing that actually changes the picture.
Until then, the Sabres’ offense may keep sputtering.
In Other News...
Lindy Ruff Just Put A Sabres Leader On Notice
Colten Ellis did enough in net to give Buffalo a chance, turning aside 28 shots in a 2-1 loss to Ottawa, but the Sabres could not make the most of their looks at the other end. The offense again had trouble finishing, and a game that stayed within reach slipped away in the kind of tight contest where one mistake can tilt everything.
Rasmus Dahlin was at the center of that final stretch, and Lindy Ruff did not hide his frustration with the way the Sabres handled some of the late-game choices. For a team trying to tighten up its details and protect leads, the message was clear enough: the margin for error is thin, and the captain's decision-making is now under a brighter spotlight. [Read more 🡒]
Lindy Ruff Calls Out A Sabres Problem Fans Know Too Well
The Sabres three-game winning streak disappeared in a 2-1 loss to Ottawa, and the postgame mood was familiar for a team still trying to find consistency at home. Lindy Ruff did not sugarcoat what he saw, pointing to a performance that fell short in the areas that usually decide tight games, especially when Buffalo is trying to build momentum in its own building.
Buffalo has spent much of this season struggling to create the kind of chances that can turn a close night in its favor, and the Senators game fit that pattern. The faceoff battle was especially lopsided, and Ruffs frustration underscored a larger issue the Sabres have not shaken yet, one that keeps showing up whenever they need a cleaner, sharper response after a win. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Suddenly Have A Chance At The Scorer They Need Most
Buffalos offensive issues have made it hard to ignore the need for another true finishing threat, and that is why a name like Jason Robertson has suddenly entered the conversation. The Dallas winger has long fit the profile of the kind of scorer the Sabres could use, especially if they decide to be aggressive before the trade deadline and try to add more punch to a lineup that has struggled to generate enough goals.
Robertsons situation in Dallas is what makes the idea interesting, because contract uncertainty has kept his future from feeling settled. For Buffalo, the appeal is obvious: a chance to chase a proven scorer who could change the look of the attack right away, even if nothing official has materialized yet and the path to any deal remains far from clear. [Read more 🡒]