Buffalo Sabres’ Evander Kane, Justin Falk involved in practice altercation as team tensions rise

Things haven’t been going so great for the Buffalo Sabres this season. After 43 games, the Sabres are the NHL’s second-worst team this year with a 10-24-9 record with just 29 points on the season. All signs indicated before the season that Buffalo would take a step forward, large or small, at some point this season, but the team is facing yet another disappointing outing.

Tensions have risen so high on the team that players are now feeling the heat, as top forward Evander Kane and defenseman Justin Falk were involved in a mid-practice altercation on Wednesday. Reportedly, Falk was seen by reporters yelling at and shoving Kane in the midst of practice.

Another account of the scene reports that Kane had some words earlier in practice to Falk about watching his stick, before saying that the coaches got involved once the latter got physical.

In a report after the fact from the Buffalo Hockey Beat, a section of the Olean Times Herald, the incident was clarified by Falk as a reactionary moment:

“It’s just spur of the moment, emotions are running high,” an agitated Falk said in the dressing room. “This time of year, where we’re at, everyone’s got a situation they’re in, just heat of the moment, boiled over.

“To be honest, maybe a little bit more stuff like that is probably what we need, get things going here, get guys playing with a bit more passion, urgency.”

Kane also spoke on the issue, saying that it happened in the “heat of the moment.”

The end of Sabres’ practice wrapped up without another incident, but earlier in the day defenseman Zach Bogosian was helped off the ice after a leg injury.

It’s no wonder the team is starting to get testy with one another considering how their season has gone so far. In early December, it was reported that the Sabres were reportedly ready to sell anyone that was not named Jack Eichel, cornerstone of the Buffalo franchise, in order to acquire assets for a rebuild.

Kane has been one such player in a number of trade rumors this season, as his 16 goals and 35 points lead the team and make him the biggest, most attractive piece of trade bait on the team. The rumors are likely only going to swirl even more now that the NHL’s trade deadline is rapidly approaching at the end of February.

Falk has zero points in 20 games this season with the Sabres and has just eight assists with the team since joining in the summer of 2016 in free agency.

The Sabres play on Thursday night vs. Columbus with a league-worst four-game losing streak.