What To Do With Josh Norris

When Josh Norris was signed to his eight year contract worth $7.95 million per season, he was coming off a season that saw him score 35 goals and 55 points in 66 games. His 16 power play goals ranked tied for third in the NHL, and were the most by a Senator since Dany Heatley scored 17 in 2006-07. His 35 goals were the most by a Senator since Milan Michalek scored 35 in 2011-12. Imagine if Norris hadn’t missed 16 games! Unfortunately, missing games has been a big part the Josh Norris story. We are now nearing the end of the third year on that contract. Here are Norris’ number’s during that time:

• 111 games, 38 goals, 66 points

He has missed 114 games during that time. So what is the Ottawa Senators best choice with Josh Norris going forward? Let’s dive into the details.

READ MORE: Ottawa Senators Trade Deadline Preview

Role Change

At the time that he signed his contract, Norris was the number one centre on the Senators. He played a high majority of his even strength ice-time with Brady Tkachuk. He was on the first power play and had 68 power play shots in the 66 games he played.

Flashforward to today, where Norris is no longer the go-to offensive centre. While he still plays with Tkachuk at times, it’s nowhere near as much as a few years ago. He is currently playing on the Senators second power play unit. Even more telling, he is no longer the go-to shooter with the extra man. In 53 games he has just 19 power play shots.

It’s obvious what’s happened- Tim Stützle emerged as an offensive force. That has left Norris in a more defensive role. In 2021-22, he averaged just over 30 seconds per game on the penalty kill. This season, he’s up to 2:15 per game. In 2021-22, he received offensive zone starts 59.4% of the time. This season, he’s received offensive zone starts just 38.7% of the time.

Other Centres in the Mix

Tim Stützle is the number one centre for the Ottawa Senators. Beyond that, Norris has mainly been used as the number two centre, but Shane Pinto has seen his role increasing as the season has gone along. Here are the splits for Pinto:

• Before December 21st: 24 games, 16:55 ice-time per game, 4 goals, 6 points
• Since then: 25 games, 18:18 ice-time per game, 10 goals, 19 points  

In those 25 games, Pinto is first on the team in goals, third in points, and has averaged more ice-time than Norris (17:30 per game). There’s also Ridly Greig, a natural centre who has mainly played the wing this season. It’s conceivable that he could also move back up the middle if needed.

Describing Josh Norris

I think it’s fair to describe Norris in this way:

Pros:

• Reliable defensively
• Solid as a penalty killer
• Skates well
• Physical
• Goal scorer

Cons:

• Injury Prone
• Overpaid
• Lack of playmaking skills/ doesn’t drive a line

Options Going Forward

So, what options do the Senators have going forward? Here’s how I see it:

1. Continue with Norris at centre
2. Try Norris on the wing
3. Trade Norris

Option one is simple enough, with the main question being could his eight million dollars be better spent elsewhere. Option two keeps that cap hit on the books for the Senators. It would allow Greig to play up the middle, and it would secure Pinto as the number two centre. With this option, Norris not driving a line would no longer be seen as a weakness. The downside is that some of his current value does come from his defensive abilities as a centre. As for option three, one problem would be whether the Senators could get back fair value. Perhaps the main value would be freeing up eight million dollars in cap space. Norris’ history of shoulder issues would likely be a deterrent for any potential trade partner.

Opinion Time

While I’m not sure it makes sense as a deadline deal, I would pursue a Josh Norris trade if I were Steve Staios. Eight million dollars is significant money, and Shane Pinto has what it takes to be the team’s number two centre. The big question with Norris is his health. He’s missed so much time in recent seasons, and his shoulder is a concern going forward. This would not be an easy move to make, but what Stanley Cup caliber team hasn’t made some difficult decisions?