Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - At Tuesday's practice in Buffalo, Sabres center Josh Norris was on his own line with Zach Benson and Noah Ostlund, and also alternated on the top power play unit with Benson.
The Sabres start three games in four nights on Wednesday in Pittsburgh against the Penguins, but Buffalo will not have Norris available just yet. Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff says Norris is not quite ready to return to the lineup.
"We’re just trying to keep progressing him," said Ruff following practice.
As far as Friday at home against the New Jersey Devils or Saturday in Minnesota against the Wild, Ruff he wouldn’t rule out using Norris on the weekend.
Norris has been practicing with the team since Nov. 17, and has been ramping up along the way. He's liked how his progression has gone.
"I feel good. I’m getting really, really close, and been feeling good," said Norris on Tuesday after practice. "I think every day you just try to push it a little bit more, and I’m getting to that point where I’m getting really close. It’s exciting."
Norris says he’s had no issues in practice.
The 26-year-old got injured in the third period of opening night against the New York Rangers. He attempted to throw a body check, and then came off the ice following a faceoff near the Buffalo bench.
Since then, Norris has missed 21 games for Buffalo.
"It’s never easy being out, and there’s only so much you can control," Norris said. "You just come to the rink every day and do the things you can do, and stay on top of things that come up and just be a pro.
"Unfortunately, I’ve been on the wrong side of it for a little bit now, so that’s really frustrating personally."
When you’re on a team and spend so much time together, you become very good friends with many in the room. Norris has been leaning on those guys through the tough times.
"You’re around each other for most of every day, so just being around the guys honestly lifts you up and picks your spirits up," he said. "It’s just fun to get your mind off of the game and off of whatever you’re going through off the ice."
When looking at the line he skated with Tuesday, Norris is the grizzled veteran of that trio at 26, as Ostlund is only 21-years-old and Benson is still 20.
"I was thinking about that today. I’m not the young guy anymore. It’s kind of weird, but I like it," exclaimed Norris.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen had his own net during practice, which typically means that’s who is starting the next game. In his last five appearances, Luukkonen is 3-2-0 with a 2.42 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage.
Jordan Greenway didn’t play Sunday against the Carolina Hurricanes. He just hasn’t been himself since returning from injury. In 11 games, Greenway has one goal and two assists for three points.
Ruff addressed the situation after the game, and Greenway is just going to practice for the time being.
"With the hernia surgery that he’s had, and he had a couple of them, just strength-wise, he’s not in a good enough place," Ruff acknowledged following practice. "We’ve talked about it for a couple weeks now, 'How can we get you stronger, how can we get you faster?'
"We’ve kind of put a plan together, just basically a load management plan where maybe he can lift for three days, build up strength, play a game, not worry about back-to-backs, play every three or four days. Let’s see if we can get you to a lot better place."
TUESDAY’S LINES:
Forwards:
Benson - Norris - Ostlund
Doan - Thompson - Tuch
Krebs - Kozak - Malenstyn
Zucker - McLeod - Quinn
Greenway
Defense:
Dahlin - Samuelsson
Bryson - Power
Byram - Timmins
Dunne - Metsa
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