Total Season Stats: 21-14-35 in 56 Games (1-1-2 in 3 games with Sabres)
Age: 25
Contract Status: Signed through 2029-2030 at $7.95 Million AAV
Sabres fans were clamoring for a significant shakeup to the roster after watching the season circle the drain before the calendar even read 2025. They got one on the trade deadline when Dylan Cozens and Dennis Gilbert were traded for Josh Norris and Jacob Bernard-Docker. All eyes were on Norris to see what impact he could have on Buffalo. Unfortunately, a pre-existing injury was aggravated after a few games with the Sabres, and his season ended pre-maturely. He is signed for 5 more seasons, so he will have a chance to make a real first impression next season, barring a significant offseason injury or trade.
Norris is a certified top 6 center that excels at scoring goals. In 239 career games, he has 91 goals and 67 assists. In every season other than his rookie year where he had one more assist than he did goals, he has put the puck in the net more than he has assisted on teammates goals. Buffalo would be wise to pair him with playmaking wingers to maximize his goal scoring ability.
One area he could really benefit Buffalo is on the powerplay. Roughly 36% of his career goals have come on the powerplay. This makes perfect sense as Norris has a phenomenal one-timer. As the roster stands, he has best one timer of Buffalo’s left-handed shooters. His oblique injury certainly hindered his effectiveness in this area this past season. He should be recovered and ready to utilize it next season. In his locker clean out press conference, Norris noted that he would be close to returning had Buffalo made the playoffs, so he should be able to have a mostly healthy offseason. See his full press conference below:
It’s unwise to grade a player after only a few games. He turns 26 years old on May 5th, so Buffalo should be able to benefit from his prime years. There is a ton of potential for him to make a significant contribution to the Sabres future. For now, Sabres fans will have to wait and see what Norris can do for the franchise
Season Grade: Incomplete