All eyes on Senators' Josh Norris as shoulder passes an early test at camp

KANATA, Ont. – Remember when Shane Pinto was the centre of concern for the Ottawa Senators?

Ah, the good old days of ... last week. 

On Thursday, as the Senators skated for the first time as an official camp group, getting RFA Pinto signed was relegated to business that will get done. Sooner rather than later. 

But all eyes were on centre Josh Norris as he skated with Group 2, wearing a yellow no-contact jersey, as a precaution for a shoulder tweak he suffered in a Captain’s Skate last week. 

By all accounts, including my own eyes, Norris looked just fine. You know, other than that yellow jersey he was wearing. He took part in all drills, even stayed after the second practice session to fire pucks. 

“I had a good day today, probably the best I’ve felt since I’ve been here (this summer),” Norris told reporters at Canadian Tire Centre after the sessions at Sensplex. 

“So, definitely a right step. Just try to compound those days and, hopefully, just keep getting better over the weekend.”

There was one nervous little scene, at least for those in the viewing gallery. Norris headed to the bench, took off his jersey and shoulder pads and a black garment underneath. He said later this undershirt device contained a heart monitor that staff put on him. It was making him a bit uncomfortable and so he took it off, put the pads back on and resumed drills. 

“Do I want to be in a yellow jersey? Probably not,” Norris said. “But I know it’s probably right this early in camp. I just want to feel good when it matters most.”

Norris called the incident during the skate last week “an innocent play” that caused a minor tweak. 

“Nothing really happened,” Norris said. 

If the nature of that play is supposed to calm nerves in the fan base, it probably won’t. 

Norris is going to have to be taking contact and, eventually, faceoffs, before anyone gets comfortable with the notion he’s back and fully healthy. Norris doesn’t want to put a percentage on his current condition. 

Head coach D.J. Smith said Norris will play in some pre-season games, but not the first two. Ottawa has its first game on Sunday versus the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

“He was able to do almost everything out there today,” Smith said. “We don’t want anyone hitting him hard in training camp. You don’t blame other guys, they are trying to win jobs and these are big men out there. But maybe having the yellow jersey kind of lets you know at the last second to just let up a little bit.” 

Norris said he actually “took a few bumps” during the sessions and felt just fine. 

“I think I definitely settled in in the second half a little bit more,” Norris said. “It’s always a little crazy the first skate of camp, everyone’s going a hundred miles an hour. I settled right in.”

Norris is a key to the roster puzzle

Not to put too fine a point on it, but teams are built up the middle. In baseball, it’s the catcher, middle infielders and centre fielder who provide stability. 

In hockey, if you have four strong centres to drive play and be accountable defensively, then you have a chance to be really good. (Combined, of course, with stable defence and goaltending.)

On paper, the Sens feature four of the best centres they have had since Jason Spezza was leading the way. Tim Stützle, Norris, Pinto and Mark Kastelic offer a promising balance of skill, defensive acumen and grit. 

The team didn’t have the 24-year-old Norris for most of last season as he was having a second surgery on his shoulder. So, no pressure or anything, but this enticing offensive picture is predicated on Norris being able to return and stay healthy. A strong Norris, as much a threat to score as to dish, sets everything in order – including the slotting of Pinto into the three-hole. 

With Pinto, all the team needs is a signature on a contract. 

With Norris, the ink is long past dry on a lengthy deal. All he needs to do is prove he can stay in the lineup. A 35-goal scorer two years ago, Norris has the goods, as long as he can be durable. 

As encouraging as it was to see Norris survive Day 1 of training camp and looking comfortable between Vladimir Tarasenko and Drake Batherson, the bigger tests will be down the road, when the hope is that the red flags of Tweak City can be laid to rest. 

Andlauer introductory conference likely Friday 

Michael Andlauer, the new majority owner of the Senators, is expected to meet with Ottawa media on Friday morning and introduce his ownership partners and new front office. Andlauer is set to become the fourth owner in Senators history and paid handsomely for the privilege, an estimated $950 million (U.S.), a record for an NHL franchise. 

The worst-kept secret in the nation’s capital is that former Senators president Cyril Leeder will return to the organization, likely in a similar role, and be a big part of the club’s push to build a new downtown arena. 

On Thursday afternoon, the Senators were just awaiting the green light from the NHL before announcing details of the press conference. If it happens on Friday, it would be around 11 a.m. ET.

D-man Djibril Toure earns a contract

He is as gregarious as he is tall. And Djibril Toure is tall. At six-foot-seven, 200 pounds, Toure, 20, attended Ottawa’s development camp on an amateur tryout and opened some eyes. He spent the summer driving back and forth between Montreal and Ottawa to train and skate, and after impressing again at the rookie tournament, the big, undrafted defenceman signed a three-year entry-level contract on Thursday. 

“It’s been a crazy journey, unexpected, but I love it. I'm here for it and I’m ready to work,” said Toure, flashing a toothless grin. 

Two years ago, Toure was playing for the Carleton Place Canadians and then the Hawkesbury Hawks of the CCHL. That led him to a year in the OHL with the Sudbury Wolves, where he produced 16 points and 91 penalty minutes last season as a tough, fast defenceman. 

At Ottawa’s main camp on Wednesday, Toure won the skating competition. Toure said it was all a matter of getting on teams’ radar. 

“A lot of people didn’t know who I was going into either OHL or NHL camps, so it was a matter of playing my game, getting noticed," he said. "That was my main goal, and I think I’ve done it well.”

To say the least. 

Toure said it was a surreal moment sitting in the office of Senators GM Pierre Dorion and signing a contract.

“Djibril’s growth over the last two years has been remarkable,” said Dorion in a statement about the signing. “He’s a rangy defender who skates well and who has shown consistent improvement in his game.”