Sabres’ Josh Norris out for 'significant amount of time' with upper-body injury

The Buffalo Sabres won’t be able to turn to center Josh Norris on Saturday night and will have to wait to know the full extent of the injury he suffered in the team’s opening game. 

Head coach Lindy Ruff said on Friday that the 26-year-old was still undergoing medical evaluation and that he is unavailable for Saturday night’s game against the Boston Bruins. 

On Saturday morning, Ruff updated his status, saying Norris will miss a “significant amount of time” with an upper-body injury.

Norris suffered the injury while taking a faceoff in the third period of Thursday night’s Sabres 4-0 loss against the New York Rangers. He looked to be in some significant discomfort as he left the ice, after slowly returning to his feet. 

He made his way to the bench without additional help, but did not return to the game. 

“He didn’t finish the game,” Ruff said Thursday night. “So I’m gonna say that’s not a good sign.”

Norris has a history of injuries in the NHL and appeared in only 56 games in 2024-25, scoring 21 goals and 35 points. However, only three of these games came with the Sabres after he joined them in the hours leading up to the NHL Trade Deadline from the Ottawa Senators. 

When healthy, he has proven to be a consistent producer at the NHL level. The 19th overall pick by Ottawa in 2017, he has 91 goals and 158 points in 240 games, but will have to wait to add to that total in Buffalo. 

Ruff also provided other injury updates on Friday, announcing that left wing Zach Benson will not play the Bruins as he continues to recover from an upper-body injury, having taken a puck to the face at Wednesday’s practice. 

Meanwhile, defenseman Owen Power will make the trip and could make his season debut. 

Puck drop against the Bruins at Boston’s TD Garden is set for 7:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, with the Sabres searching for their first goal and win, and the Bruins looking to extend their season-opening win streak to three games.