Following another full practice, Josefson could return Tuesday

Following a second straight full day of practice, signs are continuing to point in the right direction for Jacob Josefson. The forward reacted well to practice on Sunday and, if he continues to make progress, he could be in the lineup for the Buffalo Sabres against Boston on Tuesday night.
Sabres coach Phil Housley said that Josefson's availability will be based on how his ankle responds to Monday's practice.
"We'll see how he reacts after today," Housley said. "Another good-paced practice for him, we'll see how he is tomorrow."

Josefson has missed a total of 24 games since sustaining the injury to his ankle in Anaheim on Oct. 15. He returned briefly in mid-November, but played in just three games before reinjuring the ankle in Montreal on Nov. 25.
In those three games, Josefson offered a glimpse of the secondary scoring he could bring to the lineup. He scored a goal and an assist, his first points of the season, and together with linemates Jordan Nolan and Kyle Okposo posted a shot attempt percentage of 55.8 at even strength.
"After being hurt and getting back in, he made an immediate contribution," Housley said. "That line was playing really well and it was tough to see him go down again. He brings experience, he's really solid up the middle, down low in the defensive zone and knows where to be in the offensive zone
"… He's just a smart player and it's good to have him back practicing."
With Okposo now skating alongside Ryan O'Reilly, Josefson has spent the last two practices centering a line with Nolan and Evan Rodrigues. Housley said the decision was made to move Rodrigues to the wing based on the balance it brings to that line, with Johan Larsson remaining the fourth-line center.
Rodrigues has played all six of his games at center since being recalled on Dec. 4, scoring two goals and an assist in that span.
"I think they complement each other well," Housley said. "They've got a little bit of everything on that line. That's why we moved him to the wing."
Brian Duff caught up with Rodrigues in Monday's "Sabres Now," which you can watch below:

With Josefson back in the mix, the Sabres reassigned Hudson Fasching to Rochester on Monday afternoon.

McCabe makes an impact

Jake McCabe registered a career-high three points in Buffalo's overtime loss to Carolina on Friday, including his second goal of the season. Housley pointed out an area of improvement in the defenseman's game that may have had something to do with his offensive outburst.
"Number one, I think Jake is getting his shot off a lot quicker," Housley said. "He's jumping up in the play, reading the play really nice and using his mobility to get up. He has a shot mentality now because of it. It's good to see him in the rush, bringing offense from the defense in that position. I think he's just doing things quicker."
McCabe has scored the only two goals by a Sabres defenseman this season, with the first having come in Colorado on Dec. 5. Housley, who scored 338 goals playing on the back end during his own Hall-of-Fame career, has continued to work with the defensemen on getting their shots through from the point.
"Yeah, I wish we had more goals and more offensive contributions from our defense," he said. "I think it's coming. A lot of the time we're getting our shots through and we're unfortunate. You look around the league, guys are shooting shots from the point and it's hitting shin pads or finding its way through. We've just got to continue to do that."

Lines at practice

9 Evander Kane - 15 Jack Eichel - 29 Jason Pominville
67 Benoit Pouliot - 90 Ryan O'Reilly - 21 Kyle Okposo
17 Jordan Nolan - 10 Jacob Josefson - 71 Evan Rodrigues
28 Zemgus Girgensons - 22 Johan Larsson - 23 Sam Reinhart
20 Scott Wilson - 24 Hudson Fasching
6 Marco Scandella - 55 Rasmus Ristolainen
82 Nathan Beaulieu - 47 Zach Bogosian
19 Jake McCabe - 93 Victor Antipin
4 Josh Gorges - 41 Justin Falk
40 Robin Lehner
31 Chad Johnson