When the Sabres return to Prudential Center to play the New Jersey Devils on Friday, it will be Josefson's first game in the building as a member of the visiting team. The forward was drafted by New Jersey in 2009 and played 296 games with the Devils, including six in the playoffs.
Josefson left the Devils to sign a one-year deal with the Sabres when free agency opened on July 1, a split he said was best for both sides. He's already played his former team once, a 6-2 Devils win when the two teams met in Buffalo on Oct. 9.
"I think it's good to have that first one out of the way playing in Buffalo," he said. "I have a lot of friends on the team. Obviously they won't be friends tomorrow, but it's probably going to be a special feeling to play on this ice in a different jersey."
An ankle injury has limited Josefson to just 13 games this season, during which he's tallied a goal and an assist. When he has played, he's been at his best when sharing a line with Jordan Nolan on his wing. It was no different against the New York Islanders on Wednesday, when Josefson centered a line with Nolan and Johan Larsson.
After the game, Phil Housley credited their line with helping to swing momentum in Buffalo's favor with their tenacity on the forecheck.
"I think we all play pretty similar," Nolan said. "I think we all play a pretty simple, puck possession kind of game. I think when we're out there, we kind of know where each other are because we're usually trying to be in the right spot for each other. I just think we work really well together."
Josefson and Larsson are both of Swedish descent, which both players said helped them find instant chemistry against New York. They've also both been key cogs in the Buffalo penalty kill, which ranks 11th in the NHL this season at 82.5 percent.
Against the Islanders, Josefson and Larsson each skated 2:38 of shorthanded ice time, often sharing the ice.
"We keep the same pair, so you kind of know which guy you go with and then you read off each other," Larsson said. "We talk about their plays and scouting their plays, but in the end you've got to make reads out there."
Josefson said his most cherished memory in New Jersey came in 2011-12, when the Devils made their run to the Stanley Cup Final. They lost to Los Angeles in six games, but Josefson said he learned about what it takes to win that season from veterans like Martin Brodeur and Patrick Elias.
That was nearly six years ago, and while Josefson still may not be the type to give a moving speech while he breaks a huddle, the qualities he has brought to Buffalo - his work ethic and his smart, simple approach on the ice - make him worth watching for the team's younger players.
"He's just a great professional," Nolan said. "He's always doing the right thing, always working hard, and his emotions never get too high or too low. I think he's been around for a while now, so I think it's good for the guys to see that."
