Player Discussion Josh Norris (C) 6’-1” - Part 3

[Tuna99]

He’s looked light to me the last two games. I saw him lose a battle last night late in the game that he clearly should have won and it bummed me out. He hasn’t won his fair share of puck battles recently and he looked rushed with the puck last night and vs Buffalo he couldn’t find any space.

With Pinto out and the matchups changing I think it’s taken a toll on Josh. That entire line has gone quiet since Pinto went down and the last few games we are seeing Norris isn’t impacting the game at either end of the ice right now.

 

[coladin]

He’s looked light to me the last two games. I saw him lose a battle last night late in the game that he clearly should have won and it bummed me out. He hasn’t won his fair share of puck battles recently and he looked rushed with the puck last night and vs Buffalo he couldn’t find any space.

With Pinto out and the matchups changing I think it’s taken a toll on Josh. That entire line has gone quiet since Pinto went down and the last few games we are seeing Norris isn’t impacting the game at either end of the ice right now.

Playing hard and not scared. Had some good chances again. I thought Batherson dragged that line down last night

 

[Tuna99]

Playing hard and not scared. Had some good chances again. I thought Batherson dragged that line down last night

Not playing scared, playing light.

He looks like Kyle Turris out there sometimes, just smallish and light.

 

[DrEasy]

Playing hard and not scared. Had some good chances again. I thought Batherson dragged that line down last night

Norris kind of woke up in the last 10 minutes or so (along with the rest of the team). Before that I didn't notice him much.

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

He’s looked light to me the last two games. I saw him lose a battle last night late in the game that he clearly should have won and it bummed me out. He hasn’t won his fair share of puck battles recently and he looked rushed with the puck last night and vs Buffalo he couldn’t find any space.

With Pinto out and the matchups changing I think it’s taken a toll on Josh. That entire line has gone quiet since Pinto went down and the last few games we are seeing Norris isn’t impacting the game at either end of the ice right now.

He is the weakest 6ft2 player I have ever seen.

What the hell would happen in the playoffs?

Whoops thought we were talking about Chabot.

 

[HSF]

Glad the trade talk has simmered down. When he’s at his best value, he is most valuable to us.

So happy that he’s back to what he was showing before he went down to injury.

Obviously there is some trepidation about reinjury, but damn is he playing a solid 200 foot game, scoring, winning faceoffs, playing PP and PK, and taking the tough matchups.

This is a centre we need! Feels good

If someone wanted him without us taking cap back i would do it.

 

[L'Aveuglette]

If someone wanted him without us taking cap back i would do it.

We should have traded him long ago. He's more likely to get seriously re-injured than not, and his play isn't good enough to warrant that contract. Obviously though, no team would take him unless we took cap back or ate a large portion of his salary.

 

[KevinRedkey]

If someone wanted him without us taking cap back i would do it.

He has never and likely will never be worth his contract. I'd trade him as well, but only if we miss the playoffs. The room is probably pretty fragile, and Norris is seen as one of the leaders on the team.

Batherson and him averaging out to just under 6.500 each is the spin I need to make it feel more positive sometimes. lol

 

[Tuna99]

He is the weakest 6ft2 player I have ever seen.

What the hell would happen in the playoffs?

Whoops thought we were talking about Chabot.

Word might be out in the league Ottawa D down low are light, seems to be the test why the last few games form the opposition

 

[Hale The Villain]

He looks hesitant to take one-timers. Was set up several times late last game and eventually let a single one go, right into the body of the opposition.

Part of what made him so deadly in 21/22 (and what got him his contract) was his ability to unleash wicked one-timers consistently, even if the passes to him weren't perfect.

Hopefully it's a mental thing and not an issue with a lack of flexibility/mobility with his shoulder.

 

[Good in Osgoode]

He has never and likely will never be worth his contract. I'd trade him as well, but only if we miss the playoffs. The room is probably pretty fragile, and Norris is seen as one of the leaders on the team.

Batherson and him averaging out to just under 6.500 each is the spin I need to make it feel more positive sometimes. lol

I am really pulling for Norris and would love to see him have a bounce back year. Would be happy with a 30/30 type season.
That said, the contracts for Norris (and Chabot) really restrict what this team can do going forward.

Unless Giroux is completely coming off the books and I do think that he is coming back at a slight discount, say $5 to $5.5m, there is going to be no cap space to do anything more than Cousins/Gregor type additions.

Even if they are considering making significant change, Norris and/or Chabot will need to come off the books to allow for that to happen.

 

[DrEasy]

He looks hesitant to take one-timers. Was set up several times late last game and eventually let a single one go, right into the body of the opposition.

Part of what made him so deadly in 21/22 (and what got him his contract) was his ability to unleash wicked one-timers consistently, even if the passes to him weren't perfect.

Hopefully it's a mental thing and not an issue with a lack of flexibility/mobility with his shoulder.

I still notice that, just like last year, he mishandles hard passes. If you can't control the passes you receive, how can you make plays, or shoot? I guess at least with one-timers there's no need to handle the pass lol, but we're not even seeing those anymore.

 

[SensFactor]

Looking like the worst contract on the team. He plays soft, and was getting out worked last night against strong players.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1855279183951176158

 

[vandelay]

He’s looked light to me the last two games. I saw him lose a battle last night late in the game that he clearly should have won and it bummed me out. He hasn’t won his fair share of puck battles recently and he looked rushed with the puck last night and vs Buffalo he couldn’t find any space.

With Pinto out and the matchups changing I think it’s taken a toll on Josh. That entire line has gone quiet since Pinto went down and the last few games we are seeing Norris isn’t impacting the game at either end of the ice right now.

I might be his biggest advocate on this site but I agree, he hasn't had tge same juice he started with.
In some ways, looking ahead, that's good news. Lots of doomsdayers saying this team is what it is but with a guy like Norris, he's clearly not yet at his best. If he can get back to the level he had earlier or beyond and be consistent, my bet is we see consistency from the team as a whole as well.

 

[PlayersLtd]

I see some people spun their wheel recently and it landed on "trade Norris"...

So who's the replacement player I ask? The guy who is injured right now or the guy who doesn't look entirely comfortable in the top 6?

So let's say it's a UFA in the offseason and we're looking for better value, save some money and gamble on someone who is about to peak. One name that jumps off the page is Jack Roslovic...

Yay. Jack Roslovic. That's the type of replacement you'd be looking to bet on. Do you really want a Jack Roslovic class player at 5.5 (if he maintains his pace) for second line C over Norris at 8? You aren't a better team in that scenario.

The only way you do it is if it's part of a larger shake up and you somehow come out of it with a surefire young second line C which we all know is very, very difficult to achieve.

Norris has the talent, that isn't the problem. The problem is getting the players around him to help him thrive and vice versa. Teams face these issues all the time and the only option for now, shy of gutting our centre depth, is letting them work through it and finding the form they showed in the first 8 games.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

I might be his biggest advocate on this site but I agree, he hasn't had tge same juice he started with.
In some ways, looking ahead, that's good news. Lots of doomsdayers saying this team is what it is but with a guy like Norris, he's clearly not yet at his best. If he can get back to the level he had earlier or beyond and be consistent, my bet is we see consistency from the team as a whole as well.

I find he comes and goes and so does Batherson. I think Batherson has more talent and Norris has better defensive fundamentals .
Their inconsistency ... and they are not the only ones needs to improve. The young core forward group is still not there maturity wise..

 

[armani]

So glad to see Norris hitting his stride after missing so much hockey, I was of the minority who believed that he was already developed and skilled enough to come back and contribute as 2C. I am so glad to see the patented Norris one timer make it’s comeback on the Sens first goal against the Bruins tonight. A scoring centre is such a valuable asset and we have three of them (and Gaudette).

 

[HSF]

So glad to see Norris hitting his stride after missing so much hockey, I was of the minority who believed that he was already developed and skilled enough to come back and contribute as 2C. I am so glad to see the patented Norris one timer make it’s comeback on the Sens first goal against the Bruins tonight. A scoring centre is such a valuable asset and we have three of them (and Gaudette).

Good goal today

He needs to be better and bring it most nights. Im not convinced he has the ability to drive play on his line

 

[PlayOn]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1855279183951176158

Norris saying he hasn’t scratched the surface of what he can be is exactly how I feel about him. IMO he is a long-term investment bc the shoulder surgeries inevitably delayed him, but I think in a year or two he will really elevate. He still does a ton of good out there even now, he’s just not as strong on the puck as you’d like. I think Green is doing a good job of molding him into a two way centre that plays all situations.

 

[DylanSensFan]

We should have traded him long ago. He's more likely to get seriously re-injured than not, and his play isn't good enough to warrant that contract. Obviously though, no team would take him unless we took cap back or ate a large portion of his salary.

I see Norris improving mostly. I feel like we're going to get the 40-goal Norris back by the end of this season.

Norris saying he hasn’t scratched the surface of what he can be is exactly how I feel about him. IMO he is a long-term investment bc the shoulder surgeries inevitably delayed him, but I think in a year or two he will really elevate. He still does a ton of good out there even now, he’s just not as strong on the puck as you’d like. I think Green is doing a good job of molding him into a two way centre that plays all situations.

He seemed pretty hard on the puck tonight. He seemed chippy. I like the way he's trending.

 

[PlayOn]

I see Norris improving mostly. I feel like we're going to get the 40-goal Norris back by the end of this season.


He seemed pretty hard on the puck tonight. He seemed chippy. I like the way he's trending.

I think he’s been chippy all year. He battles hard, but idk if the strength is always there to accomplish what he wants to.

 

[DylanSensFan]

I think he’s been chippy all year. He battles hard, but idk if the strength is always there to accomplish what he wants to.

I am not sure if it's strength or indecision. Since he hasn't been playing, he likely thinks plays a lot more than if he had played hundreds of games. Boston also has an overall chippy team, so it was interesting to see his reaction to them.

 

[PlayOn]

I am not sure if it's strength or indecision. Since he hasn't been playing, he likely thinks plays a lot more than if he had played hundreds of games. Boston also has an overall chippy team, so it was interesting to see his reaction to them.

Yeah I agree, I think it’s a bit of both tbh, cause sometimes he fumbles pucks for no apparent reason. But it’s still much better than last year.

 

[Bileur]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1855414239633998010

Hope its a sign Josh can get back to this sometime soon:

https://x.com/i/web/status/1855264647223406931