Josh Norris

Joshua Norris (born May 5, 1999) is an American professional ice hockey player who is a center for the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in the first round of the 2017 NHL entry draft by the San Jose Sharks and in 2018 was traded to the Ottawa Senators as part of a package for All-Star defenseman Erik Karlsson.

Playing career Amateur

Norris first played midget hockey with the Oakland Jr. Grizzlies before gaining the attention of the U.S. National Development Team. He joined Team USA in the United States Hockey League (USHL) for two seasons beginning in 2015–16 season with the under-17 team, appearing in 24 games, recording two goals and five assists for seven points. Norris committed to play college hockey with the Michigan Wolverines of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) on September 21, 2016. He graduated to the under-18 team in the USHL, in the 2016–17 season, playing in 25 games, scoring 12 goals and 26 points. In his first NCAA season, he tallied eight goals and 23 points in 37 games.

Professional On June 23, 2017, Norris was selected by the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League (NHL) in the first round, 19th overall, of the 2017 NHL entry draft. He was traded to the Ottawa Senators on September 13, 2018, as part of a package that brought All-Star defenseman Erik Karlsson to the Sharks. On May 27, 2019, Norris decided to leave college early and signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Senators. His recovery from the serious shoulder injury suffered at the 2019 World Junior Championships took until June. Norris was assigned to Ottawa's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Belleville Senators, during the team's 2019 training camp. His 58 points in 51 games in the 2019–20 season earned him a promotion to Ottawa and he played his NHL debut on February 22, 2020, against the Montreal Canadiens. He made three appearances with Ottawa, going scoreless, before being returned to the AHL on February 23 alongside Drake Batherson. However, his return was short as the AHL announced the pause of play on March 12 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and later the season's cancellation on May 11. He finished the season with 31 goals and 61 points in 56 games. He also won the league's Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award as the top rookie.

Norris remained with Ottawa for the pandemic-delayed 2020–21 season. Norris recorded his first NHL point in the home opener on January 15, 2021, assisting on Thomas Chabot's first period goal in a 5–3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. He scored his first goal on January 19 against Laurent Brossoit of the Winnipeg Jets. He appeared in 56 games, scoring 17 goals and 35 points.

In the following 2021–22 season, he appeared in 66 games with Ottawa, scoring 35 goals and 55 points, leading the team in goals and third in points. Norris recorded a three-point night on December 14, 2021, scoring two goals and assisting on Drake Batherson's third period goal in an 8–2 victory over the Florida Panthers. He marked a second three-point night on March 8, 2022, scoring one goal and assisting on goals by Tim Stützle and Brady Tkachuk in a 4–1 win over the St. Louis Blues. On April 3, Norris recorded his first NHL hat trick, scoring three goals in a 5–2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. In the 2022 offseason, Norris signed an eight-year, $63.6 million contract with Ottawa. Despite initial fears that the injury would sideline him for the remainder of the season, He played in eight games that season, scoring one goal and three points. He made his season debut on October 18, scoring two goals in a 6–1 win over the Washington Capitals. He appeared in 50 games, scoring 16 goals and 30 points before suffering another injury to his shoulder in a February 27, 2024 game against the Nashville Predators. He underwent surgery and missed the remainder of the season. In 53 games with Ottawa, he tallied 20 goals and 33 points. He made his Sabres debut on March 8 in a 4–0 loss to the Florida Panthers. In his second game with the Sabres on March 10, he recorded his first point with the Sabres, assisting on Tage Thompson's game winning goal in a 3–2 win over the Edmonton Oilers, ending the team's six game losing skid. In his third game, on March 12, he scored his first goal in a 7–3 loss to the Red Wings. Norris then missed the final 18 games of the season after being sidelined with a torn oblique muscle that he had initially suffered on February 1 while still with the Senators.

International play

Norris competed at the 2017 IIHF World U18 Championships where he helped Team USA win a gold medal. The following year, Norris was named to Team USA to compete at the 2018 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. He played in all seven games on the way to a bronze medal. Following Team USA's 4–2 defeat to Sweden in the semifinals, Norris was named U.S. Player of the Game.

On December 23, 2018, Norris was selected to compete at the 2019 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, and was later named an alternate captain alongside Michigan Wolverines' teammate Quinn Hughes. He appeared in all seven of the team's seven games and finished fourth in team scoring with three goals and six points.

Personal life Norris selected by the San Jose Sharks at the 2017 NHL entry draft. Norris is the son of Canadian former NHL player Dwayne Norris and his American wife Traci. Josh spent much of his first 11 years growing up in Germany, where his father played professionally, and he speaks fluent German. The family returned to the United States after the 2009-10 season and settled in Oxford, Michigan, where his father was his coach in youth hockey.

Norris and Quinn Hughes were also both on USNTDP teams together, and college roommates for two years at the University of Michigan. Hughes had previously described Norris as his best friend in news reports , but in November 2024 Hughes also received his first-ever game-misconduct and ejection from a hockey game for cross-checking Norris from behind in a game between Ottawa and Vancouver.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs

International Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM 2015 United States U17 6th 5 2 3 5 4 2017 United States U18 7 3 4 7 2 2018 United States WJC 7 0 3 3 2 2019 United States WJC 7 3 3 6 4 Junior totals 26 8 13 21 12

Awards and honors Award YearAHL All-Rookie Team 2020 First All-Star Team 2020 Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award 2020 NHL All-Rookie Team 2021