Buffalo Sabres’ Disappointing Start to the Season
The Buffalo Sabres experienced a dismal start to their 2025-26 NHL season on Thursday evening, suffering a 4-0 defeat to the New York Rangers. This disappointing game took place before a full house at the KeyBank Center and was further marred by an injury to center Josh Norris. During a faceoff late in the third period, Norris fell and struggled to return to the bench, ultimately not returning to the match.
Injury Update on Josh Norris
Following the loss, head coach Lindy Ruff provided updates in a press conference held prior to the team’s departure for Boston. While confirming that Norris was undergoing evaluations by medical staff, Ruff’s comments suggested that the injury could potentially sideline Norris for an extended period.
“(Norris is) being evaluated (by) the doctors right now, so we’ll have an update later this afternoon,” he stated. “I know that he’s not dealing with it very good; he’s pretty disappointed with where he’s at with this injury.”
Norris’s Injury History
The 26-year-old Norris, acquired by the Sabres in a trade that sent Dylan Cozens to another team last March, has had a tumultuous injury history throughout his six years in the NHL. Despite a noteworthy performance during the truncated 2020-21 season, where he played all 56 games, Norris has missed 148 games across various injuries since then. After the trade to Buffalo, he appeared in only three games before his season was cut short due to injury.
Looking Ahead
Excited about his prospects at the beginning of training camp, Norris reported an injury-free summer and participated in preparatory workouts aimed at his first complete season with the Sabres. He was intended to center the top line alongside Tage Thompson and Zach Benson, building chemistry that showed promise in the preseason as they both led the team with seven points each.
In light of Norris’s injury, the Sabres have made adjustments, recalling center Josh Dunne from the AHL’s Rochester Americans and repositioning Jiri Kulich to center the top line in their upcoming matchup against the Bruins on Saturday.
