Ottawa Senators center Josh Norris will be out “a couple weeks” because of a mid-body injury, coach Travis Green said Monday.
Norris exited in the third period Saturday after a hit by Minnesota Wild center Jakub Lauko in the Senators’ 6-0 home victory. Green, who confirmed to TSN 1200 Ottawa radio that Norris sustained a mid-body injury, is concentrating on the team’s game Monday night at the Nashville Predators.
“I think we’ve done a good job of not focusing in on players that aren’t playing,” Green said. “Obviously, Josh is a big part of our team, but we’re focusing in on the guys that are playing. Any time someone goes out, it’s another opportunity for someone else to come in. [Senators left winger Cole Reinhardt] will draw in the lineup tonight, and someone else will play center.”
That someone else could be Ridly Greig on the second line with David Perron and Drake Batherson. Greig, 22, has eight goals and 16 points this season, and is averaging a career-high 16:12 time on ice in his third NHL season.
Norris, 25, scored one goal against Minnesota. He has 19 goals and 12 assists with a minus-6 rating, 34 penalty minutes and 43 blocks in 50 games this season.
The San Jose Sharks selected Norris No. 19 in the 2017 NHL draft. The Sharks traded him to the Senators on Sept. 13, 2018. Norris made the 2020-21 NHL All-Rookie first team. He has 154 points (89 goals, 65 assists) in 233 regular-season games over parts of six seasons.
Information from Field Level Media was used in this report.