The Buffalo Sabres had to feel good about the team's performance against the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday night. They bounced back in a big way after a loss and led from start to finish, and cruised to a 5-2 win.
During that game, the team debuted new lines from top to bottom for the forwards, and the early returns were great. Unfortunately, with all the positives, there was a big concern coming out of that game, and that was around center Josh Norris.
Norris left the game in the second period after Rasmus Dahlin's second power play goal. He would be ruled out ahead of the third period and after the game head coach Lindy Ruff said he suffered the injury on a cross check on that power play and would be evaluated further.
Buffalo Sabres will be without Josh Norris against the Montreal Canadiens but he is considered day-to-day
The Sabres are back on the ice in a pivotal game against a divisional rival in the Montreal Canadiens. The fact that it was a back-to-back game, Norris was almost certainly a long shot to be available, but the hope was that it wouldn't be a long-term injury.
Ahead of the game, it was reported that the Buffalo Sabres consider Josh Norris day-to-day with the rib injury. Certainly, with Josh Norris' injury history, fans fear the worst when they see him leave the ice, and this is probably best case scenario for the talented center.
Norris missed 25 games earlier this season after suffering an injury in the season opener, and since his return, he has made a big impact on this team and been a key part of their success. In the past 18 games, he has 17 points with six goals and 11 assists, including an assist against the Flyers on Wednesday night.
Norris' absence could create a memorable night for one of the top Sabres' prospects
With Josh Norris' absence, the Buffalo Sabres decided to bring up Konsta Helenius from Rochester. The former first-round pick has yet to make his NHL debut since the Sabres drafted him 14th overall in the 2024 NHL Draft.
However, Helenius has been playing great down in Rochester with 30 points in 34 games. It will be interesting to see if he does get a chance to play tonight and where he might play in the lineup.
A logical spot would be for him to step into Josh Norris' place, as he would be paired up again with Noah Ostlund, with whom he is very familiar from their time together in Rochester. Fans won't have to wonder long as they are set to play the Canadiens with a puck drop at 7 PM.