Buffalo Sabres center Josh Norris will miss at least eight weeks after suffering an upper-body injury in the team's season-opening loss to the New York Rangers.
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported Norris' expected two-month recovery timetable Monday on his 32 Thoughts Podcast.
"You feel terrible for Josh Norris," Friedman said. "The way he went off the ice, he just knew. And it looks like it's gonna be eight weeks at least for him, is what the word is."
It's the latest setback for the 26-year-old Michigan native, who's displayed high-end potential but has struggled to stay healthy throughout his seven-year NHL career.
Meanwhile, the Sabres can't expect to find offensive success using a fourth-line player like Peyton Krebs in a key top-six role. It's time to give one of their prospects a shot to prove themselves.
Who are the best options for the Buffalo Sabres to replace Josh Norris in their injury-riddled lineup?
Konsta Helenius
Helenius was Buffalo's most impressive prospect throughout training camp and the preseason. He consistently generated scoring chances, which is something the Sabres haven't done well in their first two games, and he didn't look overwhelmed in the defensive zone.
The 19-year-old Finland native, who the Blue and Gold selected in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft, scored 35 points (14 goals and 21 assists) in 65 games for the AHL's Rochester Americans last season. He added three goals and three helpers in the Amerks' eight playoff games.
Helenius could probably use one more season in Rochester to focus on development, but the Sabres are already getting desperate after an early surge of injuries. The teenage center represents the best chance to find an immediate offensive spark in the middle of the ice.
Noah Ostlund
Ostlund's playmaking ability hasn't developed as much as Buffalo would probably like, but there have been some promising signs early in the 2025-26 campaign with three assists in two games for the Amerks. He's tallied 40 points in 49 career AHL contests.
The 2022 first-round pick would be a more well-rounded center option, though he'd be better off working on the third line than high in the lineup. He just doesn't have the same type of explosive offensive bursts as Helenius.
Ostlund still makes a lot of sense if the Sabres are going to move forward with Jiri Kulich and Ryan McLeod as their top two centers until Norris returns, likely after the calendar flips to 2026.
Isak Rosen
Rosen has fallen out of favor in Buffalo despite his strong AHL performance. The Sabres had a top-six void to fill on the wing this season following the trade of JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth and it didn't even seem like the 22-year-old Swede was given a real shot to win the job.
To his credit, the 185-pound winger hasn't let that affect his play. He's already tallied two goals and added an assist in two appearances for Rochester this season. He's recorded 145 points (64 goals and 81 assists) in 196 AHL games.
If the Sabres ultimately move Tage Thompson back to center, which may become a necessity if the offense continues to falter, then Rosen should seriously enter the conversation. He has defensive weaknesses, but his offensive impacts can't be ignored forever.