The Sabres are hoping to have a pair of veterans return to the lineup before the end of the regular season. Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald notes that center Josh Norris (mid-body) and winger Jordan Greenway (lower body) are both progressing in their recovery from their respective injuries and that the plan is for them to play before the season ends in a couple of weeks. Norris has missed the last ten games and has only suited up three times for Buffalo after they acquired him from Ottawa at the trade deadline. He has 21 goals and 14 assists in 56 games this season. Greenway, meanwhile, has battled injury trouble throughout the year, limiting him to just 34 appearances where he has only eight points. While that’s not the ideal platform year heading into free agency, the two sides agreed on a two-year, $8MM extension before last month’s trade deadline.
Elsewhere in the East:
- The Devils will welcome back one of their newest forwards this afternoon against the Rangers. Team reporters Marc Ciampa and Sam Kasan relay that center Cody Glass will return to the lineup after missing the last week and a half due to a lower-body injury. The 26-year-old was acquired from Pittsburgh at the trade deadline and has been much more impactful since then. After notching just 15 points in 51 games with his former team, Glass has two goals and four assists through eight games with New Jersey.
- Maple Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe won’t play tonight against Columbus and could be out longer, suggests Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun. The 31-year-old suffered an undisclosed injury late in Wednesday’s victory over Florida but while head coach Craig Berube listed him as day-to-day, he didn’t have any specifics about the injury including how it happened. McCabe has been a key part of Toronto’s back end this season, notching 23 points, 135 blocks, and 118 hits in 66 games while averaging a career-high 21:31 per night of playing time.