Sabres’ Josh Norris Suffers Injury Setback: Will Miss Signficant Time

The Buffalo Sabres received a tough early-season blow as forward Josh Norris is set to miss a “significant amount of time” with an upper-body injury, head coach Lindy Ruff confirmed this weekend. Norris sustained the injury late in the third period of the season opener against the New York Rangers during a faceoff. It wasn’t clear what happened, but it was later determined to be an oblique issue.

While he was able to make it to the bench under his own power, he did not return to the ice and many assumed he might miss some time. Now that it’s been learned that time will be significant, it’s just another setback for a Sabres team that needs some things to go right this season.

Lindy Ruff says Josh Norris will miss “a significant amount of time,” but is still being evaluated. pic.twitter.com/AlCQNlV9vF

— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) October 11, 2025

What Now for the Sabres and Norris?

This also marks another frustrating setback for Norris, who is among the more injury-prone players in the NHL. Throughout his seven NHL seasons, he has missed considerable time. Acquired by Buffalo in a trade from Ottawa last season, Norris was sidelined after just three games with a mid-body injury. Going out in the opener this season means he’s played in four games since joining the team, but he hasn’t finished half of them. He is pegged to be a big part of the Sabres’ top-six forward group, but continued injuries have already led some to speculate that the Sabres organization might have to pivot and look into trade or buyout options.

Ruff clarified that this latest injury is not related to his previous issues, offering a small measure of relief. If Norris is sidelined for 10 or more games, he could become LTIR-eligible. In the meantime, the Sabres are expected to place him on regular injured reserve, opening the door for a potential recall from the AHL’s Rochester Americans.

Next: Insiders Name Timeline on Sabres Trading Tuch, Say Talks Link Oilers