Ottawa Senators forward Josh Norris expected to miss “extended time” with upper-body injury

Concerning news for one of the best young players in Canada’s capital.

On Thursday, Ottawa Senators head coach Jacques Martin revealed that forward Josh Norris is expected to be out of the lineup for “an extended time” due to an upper-body injury. The veteran coach also stated that there will be “more information down the road” on the 24-year-old center.

Norris was injured during the Senators’ 4-1 loss to the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night. He attempted to hit the Predators’ Cole Smith, but ended up awkwardly falling into the back of the net. He skated off the ice under his own power, but was holding onto his arm.

He was deemed done for the night shortly thereafter.

Norris was sent for an MRI on Wednesday. It has not been announced if it is the left shoulder that he has had surgery on twice, forcing him to miss 38 games last season. The Oxford, Michigan native sat out the first three games of the 2023-24 campaign due to a shoulder issue.

Norris also missed four games in January with another upper-body injury. In 50 games this season, he has scored 16 goals and 14 assists, with his 30 points placing him tied for sixth on the Sens in scoring.

Norris is just in the second year of an eight-year deal with Ottawa, carrying a cap hit of $7.95 million.

Also, Martin announced that defenseman Travis Hamonic is considered week-to-week, but did not make it clear what the 33-year-old injured, or when he was injured.

Hamonic already missed five games in late January with an upper-body injury. The Manitoba native has notched two goals and four assists in 47 games with the Sens this season.

He is in the first year of a two-year contract, with an AAV of $1.1 million, that he signed with Ottawa last July.

The Senators (25-29-3) will host the Arizona Coyotes on Friday night. They are at the bottom of the Atlantic Division, five points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets for the worst record in the Eastern Conference.