Josh Norris Injury Update
Josh Norris has another injury setback. He picked up an upper-body injury in the Sabres’ opening game on Thursday. He got hurt late in the game during a faceoff. He left the ice and did not return. His coach, Lindy Ruff, said Norris is being evaluated. Ruff made it clear that Norris will miss the next game against Boston. There is no word yet on exactly how long he will be out.
This is a new injury. It is separate from the oblique problem that kept Norris out last season. Norris missed nearly the entire stretch with a torn oblique after joining Buffalo from Ottawa. He only managed three games last year because of injuries.
His coaches and teammates said Norris looked great in preseason. He was moving well and earning a top-line center spot. Now the Sabres are facing more injury problems. Norris has missed a lot of games these past seasons. He has had surgery multiple times for shoulder and oblique issues. He knows how tough these stretches are. Ruff said Norris felt pretty down about the latest setback, but he is strong mentally.
It is not clear yet when Norris will return. The team says he is still being evaluated. He is definitely out for at least the game against the Bruins on Saturday. The Sabres have had other issues. Owen Power missed the opener with an illness but could return soon. Zach Benson, another key forward, is also out after a puck hit his face in practice. The team’s lineup is thin as the season starts.
For now, the Sabres do not have enough depth at center. They are shuffling lines and calling up players from the AHL. Norris was supposed to be a big piece this year. The hope is the injury is not another long-term one. The team and fans are waiting on more test results before setting a timeline for his return.
That’s all the current info. Norris is not playing Saturday. It is a new upper-body injury, not related to last year. He looked good in preseason, now he is sidelined again. The team has not given a return date yet. He is being checked by doctors and will stay off the ice until cleared.
