Ottawa Senators centre Josh Norris is hoping his run of shoulder injuries is now finally behind him. Norris got into his first pre-season game on Tuesday night and looked like his old self, posting one assist in Ottawa’s 4-3 road win over the Montreal Canadiens.

A very good sign.

But on the same night that Norris returned, there’s now suddenly concern about another possible shoulder injury in Ottawa. Senators captain Brady Tkachuk briefly left Sunday’s game against Pittsburgh, favouring his right shoulder in an awkward collision with Kris Letang. He even even grabbed at the shoulder as he slid along the ice.

His grimace and physical reaction were both alarming, but he later returned to the contest, giving fans the assumption that all was well.

But then Tkachuk was hurt again in Montreal on Tuesday, just two nights later. Upper body again.

In the second period, probably as retaliation for Ridly Greig’s late hit on Kirby Dach, Habs’ enforcer Arber Xhekaj took a hard run at Tim Stutzle’s head, knocking him out of the game. So a furious Tkachuk responded by going after Xhekaj.

In the middle of the wrestling match, both men fell to the ice and it looked like Tkachuk not only fell on his right side, but his right arm and shoulder may have been pinned underneath Xhekaj, who weighs 240 pounds

This time, Tkachuk left and missed the last half of the game with what the team called an upper-body issue. Sens fans are hoping it’s all just a precaution – carry on, nothing to see here. But it’s hard not to be seriously concerned about that shoulder after watching both incidents and seeing the big guy head down the tunnel two nights in a row.

Head coach Travis Green said after Tuesday’s game that Tkachuk will be re-evaluated today, as will Stutzle and Thomas Chabot, who both left the game as well.

Whether these injuries end up being serious or not, it’s sure to add more fire to the debate across the league right now that the risk of such a long pre-season isn’t worth the reward.