Evander Kane apologizes for missing practice: 'Never should have happened'
Evander Kane took to the ice Tuesday in Ottawa, hours before he'll be watching his Buffalo Sabres take on the Senators from the press box.
The forward will serve a one-game, team-imposed suspension after sleeping in and missing practice Monday following a jaunt to Toronto to take in the previous night's NBA All-Star Game and the ensuing gatherings about town.
Kane met with general manager Tim Murray prior to the optional skate, and then appeared to have been given a heavy workout from the coaching staff.
Terry Murray has begun the skating of 9. Now doing numerous full length of the ice down and backs.
— Paul Hamilton (@pham1717) February 16, 2016
Following the skate, he offered a full apology.
"It's something that never should have happened," Kane told reporters. "It's something that I can promise you won't happen again and it's something I'm definitely going to learn from.
"If you watch me play on the ice, I think I take hockey seriously. But I can take it more seriously."
Sabres captain Brian Gionta admitted to being disappointed in Kane, while continuing to stand behind his teammate.
"Obviously it was disappointing," Gionta said Tuesday, according to Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News. "Guys were there, guys are at practice ready to work and you're missing one of your guys. It's obviously something that happened but we're going to support him to try to rectify the problem."
The veteran, however, stopped short of going too old school.
Gionta on whether Kane needs to dial back on social media: "That's not for me to judge. Completely different generation I guess." #Sabres
— Mike Harrington (@BNHarrington) February 16, 2016
In his first season with the Sabres, Kane has 16 goals and eight assists through 47 games.
He also remains the subject of a sex offense investigation after an allegation was made in late December.