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Watch: Sabres Captain Fights Teammate at Practice

Teammates had breakup a scrap between the Buffalo Sabres captain and another player during an early-season practice.

Nick Horwat

Jan 21, 2023; Buffalo, New York, USA; Buffalo Sabres center Peyton Krebs (19) celebrates his goal with defenseman Rasmus Dahlin (26) during the second period against the Anaheim Ducks at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
Jan 21, 2023; Buffalo, New York, USA; Buffalo Sabres center Peyton Krebs (19) celebrates his goal with defenseman Rasmus Dahlin (26) during the second period against the Anaheim Ducks at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images / Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
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The Buffalo Sabres are under a lot of pressure to succeed during the 2024-25 season. They’ve missed the playoffs a league-leading 13 consecutive seasons and are looking to break that drought this year.

While the team has the skill and ability to reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Sabres have gotten off to an ice-cold start. They lost their first three contests, likely forcing tensions to rise within the locker room.

Despite their first win of the season coming over the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, those tensions may have spilled onto the ice.

During a practice, Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin and young forward Peyton Krebs needed to be separated by teammates after a fight broke out between the two.

In a video posted to Twitter by News 4 Buffalo’s Sara Holland, Dahlin laid out Krebs with a huge open ice hit and the two quickly engaged in a scrap. Punches were thrown from both players before teammates stepped in to break things up.

The hit from Dahlin wasn’t a small bump in the middle of the ice, either. At full speed, Dahlin lowered his hips into Krebs as he received a breakout pass.

Hollan later noted that head coach Lindy Ruff isn’t going to look too deep into the scuffle. Ruff said Dahlin took a hit earlier in practice and was looking to “even the score.”

Regardless of practice shenanigans, it’s not normal to see your newly minted captain throw punches at a teammate in practice.

Sure, there is a ton of pressure to succeed and the Sabres haven’t gotten off to the right start, but this felt out of the ordinary.

If the scrap wakes the Sabres up and they find a rhythm, maybe they look back at it as the necessary moment that turned things around. The Sabres are the youngest team in the NHL and have a ton to prove this year. If success doesn't follow, there could be some big changes coming.

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Nick Horwat
NICK HORWAT

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