Just one season removed from a 35-goal sophomore campaign, Ottawa Senators sniper Josh Norris has still not been cleared by medical staff to play after dealing with a nagging shoulder injury.
“Right now the training staff and doctors are telling me he’s not going to play,” head coach D.J. Smith told reporters on Saturday ahead of the Senators’ final pre-season game. “Never did we think that possibly we’d start the year without him and it certainly looks that way.”
Smith added that the entire situation has been “frustrating” for Norris, since the player, coaching staff, and front office thought he would be ready to suit up at least once during the pre-season.
“We all thought Josh would go through a little bit of practice, take a few bumps and away we’d go. And that didn’t happen.
“Everyone involved is not willing to let him go out there and play.”
Smith also noted that he’s not been given a timeline for his return and is deferring to the medical staff to make that decision.
The 24-year-old was injured early last season while taking a faceoff against the Arizona Coyotes, beginning a long recovery that would see him return to the ice for three games before ultimately undergoing his second career shoulder surgery in January.
In recovery for over six months, Norris came into training camp expecting to hit the ground running, but tweaked his shoulder once more during a captains skate. He began camp skating in a no-contact jersey, though he spent some time participating normally.
After the Oxford, Mich., native broke out for 35 goals and 55 points in 2021-22, he was rewarded with an eight-year, $63.6 million contract, of which he is entering the second year.
Initially selected 19th overall by the San Jose Sharks in 2017, Norris was acquired by the Senators in the trade that sent former captain Erik Karlsson to Northern California.
from Sportsnet.ca
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