Though the Ottawa Senators have been without their second- and third-line centres through training camp and pre-season, there is some good news on the horizon.
Josh Norris, a former 35-goal scorer and the Senators’ odds-on 2C, will resume skating tomorrow after reaggravating a nagging shoulder injury over training camp.
“(Norris) is going to skate during the day (Sunday), and it’s hoped that sometime in the next few days, he’ll be able to take some more serious contact,” Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported on Saturday night during the Saturday Headlines segment on “Hockey Night in Canada.”
Friedman also noted that, after Norris begins to take contact, the Senators will be able to more accurately predict a timeline for his return.
The 24-year-old was injured early last season while taking a faceoff against the Arizona Coyotes, beginning a long recovery that would see him return to the ice for three games before ultimately undergoing his second career shoulder surgery in January.
In recovery for over six months, Norris came into training camp expecting to hit the ground running, but tweaked his shoulder once more during a captain’s skate. He began camp skating in a no-contact jersey, though he spent some time participating normally. The team opted not to place Norris on the long-term injured reserve, leaving open the opportunity for the centreman to return to the team shortly.
Down the lineup, Friedman reported that Shane Pinto — absent from the team as he awaits a new contract — has not yet asked for a trade.
“It’s always dicey to make proclamations at this time of year, but at 8:53 p.m. Eastern Time, it’s not believed anything has changed,” Friedman said of the negotiations between Pinto and the Senators. “Also, he has not, according to multiple sources, asked for any kind of trade.”
Negotiations stalled between the 22-year-old and the Senators, ahead of the season as the gap between what Pinto wants and what the cap-strapped Senators can afford widened.
Fans in Ottawa are clearly missing Pinto, especially as Norris remains sidelined, demonstrated by a “We want Pinto” chant that broke out during the Senators’ home opener on Saturday.
The restricted free agent is prohibited from rejoining the team until a new contract is agreed upon.
