Yahoo Sports Recovery Update on Ottawa Senators Centre Josh Norris: "He’s Ahead of Where He Was Last Year"
Every year, every NHL team heads into training camp being bombarded with an array of questions about their roster. For the Ottawa Senators, there's one question in particular they'd love to stop having to answer.
"How's Josh Norris's shoulder doing?"
Norris's repeated shoulder injuries are almost getting to be an annual training camp concern. The 25-year-old has hurt the same shoulder multiple times and he's now coming off his second surgery in as many years.
But at a media event on Wednesday, Senators general manager Steve Staios delivered some good news.
"I'm happy to say that Josh is ahead of where he was last year at this point in time," Staios said. "I don't think it's fair to put a timeline on Josh. I think that he has done everything in his power to get prepared for the season. And I think it's all moving in a very positive direction."
Being ahead of last year's pace is an excellent sign, indeed.
Norris had surgery in January of 2023, then he missed all of camp that fall along with the first few games of the 2023-24 season. But his 2024 surgery happened closer to February, so if he's ahead of last year's pace, then either surgery and/or the rehab went a whole lot better this time, or maybe the shoulder was less damaged than the year before. Maybe all of the above.
Staios couldn't help but give a shout out to the improvements in the team's medical supports.
"With any player, we want to make sure it's the 82 games and playoffs, keeping those players healthy. We've taken a huge step in that department with our medical supports, conditioning, adding to the room and to the renovation of our fitness area. It's extraordinary."
Norris is by far Ottawa's biggest concern on the injury front, but there are others who entered the offseason on the injury list or way below 100 percent. The ones we know of include Thomas Chabot, Tim Stutzle, Travis Hamonic, and Angus Crookshank.
If the Sens are to shake off their seven year playoff drought this season, a lot of things have to happen – not the least of which is keeping the injury bug at bay.
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