Initially drafted 72nd overall in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins, Pittsburgh failed to come to terms with Kane on a contract. He re-entered the draft in 1998 and was selected by the New York Rangers 114th overall. He split his first three professional seasons between the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League and the Charlotte Checkers of the ECHL before finally earning a full-time spot with Hartford in 2001–02. Prior to the 2002–03 season, however, he was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning for Gordie Dwyer, spending the season with the Springfield Falcons.