Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - The newest Buffalo Sabres center Josh Norris arrived to South Florida in time for Saturday’s morning skate.
While we didn’t get to see any line combinations ahead of the evening's contest with the Florida Panthers, Norris was working on the No. 1 power play unit.
The 25-year-old will wear the No. 13 with the Sabres.
Norris admits he was taken by surprise on Friday when he found out he had been traded to Buffalo.
"It happened pretty quickly before practice, so it was a weird day, for sure. A lot of hard goodbyes in Ottawa, but I’m really excited to be here," said Norris on Saturday.
"They’re not easy to play against when they’re clicking, and they have a lot of really good pieces. I’m excited to get going here. It’s a fresh start for me, and I’m really excited to be here."
Norris has had trouble with injuries throughout his short NHL career, and has already had two shoulder surgeries. He’s been healthy this season, which is why he feels this is a new start for him.
"The last couple years have not gone the way I wanted to with injuries," Norris said. "But I really appreciate the opportunity that they’re giving me. I’m going to go out there, get settled and play my game."
Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff feels the team got a good one in Norris, who maybe could serve as a top line center.
"You’re looking at a guy that can play in all roles, and possibly be that guy," said Ruff on Saturday.
Ruff says you can play Norris on the power play, penalty kill, and he can take key faceoffs.
As for Dylan Cozens, Ruff knew he wanted to be a difference maker, which is why his last conversation with him was so difficult.
"It was tough," Ruff said. "My conversation with him was emotional, he was emotional. It’s hard. He’s a real good kid, and those are hard moments. It’s the part of the sports business that you’ve got to get through, and sometimes down the road, that may have been the best thing for him."
With defenseman Dennis Gilbert also going to Ottawa, the Sabres lost the only player that adds toughness to the lineup.
"That’s a tough one, for sure," Ruff acknowledged. "We know what we need. We’ve talked a lot about where this team needs to get, so we’ll leave it at that."
It wouldn’t surprise me at all if Gilbert was re-signed in the offseason.
As for the lineup on Saturday, Ruff says Jiri Kulich is now sick and won’t play against the Panthers.
Jordan Greenway and Jack Quinn weren’t in the morning skate, as they left Thursday's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning also due to illness. Both players are considered game-time decisions.
Just in case, Isak Rosen and Josh Dunne have been called up from the Rochester Americans.
The Sabres come in with a five-game losing streak, and have just two wins in eight games.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will try to break out of his slump, as he’ll be in net on Saturday. In his last seven games, he’s 2-4-0 with a 4.16 goals-against average and an .840 save percentage.
As for Florida, the Panthers comes in with five-straight wins, and wins in 7-of-8 games.
Newly acquired winger Brad Marchand is injured and won’t play.
As for newly acquired goalie Vitek Vanecek, he was supposed to play for the San Jose Sharks in Buffalo on Tuesday, but they held him out so they could trade him. He landed in Florida, and is playing his first game with the Panthers on Saturday.
Vanecek is 3-10-3 this season with a 3.88 goals-against average and an .882 save percentage.
The bad news for the Panthers is winger Matthew Tkachuk is out for the rest of the regular season due to injury.
Join Brian Koziol for pregame coverage on WGR starting at 5 p.m. when you’ll hear from general manager Kevyn Adams, Ruff and Norris.