Season in Review | Josh Norris

Every day through early May, Sabres.com will be recapping each player’s performance with all the numbers, highlights, quotations and content that tell the story of their 2024-25 season.

Josh Norris, F

3 GP | 1 G | 1 A | 2 P | -1

• Read previous Season in Review profiles here

Season at a glance

Buffalo acquired Norris from Ottawa on March 7 – alongside Jacob Bernard-Docker, in exchange for Dylan Cozens, Dennis Gilbert and a 2026 second-round pick – aware of his torn oblique. The early-February injury lingered as Norris began his Sabres career and ultimately ended his season March 12 in Detroit, his third game with the team.

“We did this for long-term reasons,” general manager Kevyn Adams said of the trade for Norris, who’s under contract through the 2029-30 season. “We were aware of it and then, unfortunately, it was so quickly when he got here, reinjured it, and it’s almost like he had to start over.”

The former first-round pick recorded 33 points (20+13) in 53 pre-trade games with the Senators. In his three games with Buffalo, Norris flashed the all-situations ability that inspired the trade; he won 54 percent of his faceoffs, logged both power-play and penalty-kill minutes and tallied a couple points (1+1).

Adams, Lindy Ruff and the Sabres see first-line-center potential in Norris, who played with Tage Thompson during those three games.

Number to know: 52.5

Norris has won 52.5 percent of faceoffs in his 239-game career. For the Sabres, whose 47.8-percent win rate ranked 26th in the NHL this season, Norris should provide a much-needed boost at the dot moving forward.

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They said it

“A player that I have a very high opinion of – I’ve been watching closely for a while. He’s a 200-foot center. Very, very talented. Responsible on both sides of the puck. He plays in all situations.” – Adams after the March 7 trade.

“I think that’s the player we see. The player that can play against top guys, play against top lines and still be a good offensive player.” – Ruff after Norris’ game-winning assist March 11 versus Edmonton.

“Everyone knows the skill he has and the playmaking ability, the finishing ability, but just his hockey smarts. I think he’s always positionally in the right spot, which is why he has the puck on his stick so much. And because of that, the guys that he plays with benefit from it.” – Thompson after the trade, discussing his takeaways from playing against Norris.

Required reading

• ‘Excited to be here’ | Norris embracing fresh start with Sabres
• Norris shows two-way impact on winning goal vs. Oilers

Up next

Norris, who was approaching a return to the ice when the regular season ended, now turns his attention to preparing for 2025-26.

“It’s a big summer for me, big summer for everyone,” he said. “I’m excited to just be healthy, be able to train and skate and not have to worry about anything.”

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