Buffalo Sabres forward Josh Norris is set to miss a “significant amount of time” due to an upper-body injury, head coach Lindy Ruff told reporters Saturday.
Ruff added that Norris is still undergoing evaluation and the amount of time he’ll miss is still unknown.
The 26-year-old appeared to sustain the injury while taking a faceoff in Thursday’s 4-0 loss to the New York Rangers. He was seen on the ice in pain after the draw and did not return to the game after heading off the playing surface.
Ruff said the injury is not related to the season-ending mid-body injury Norris sustained last season in his third game with the Sabres.
Norris, 26, was acquired by the Sabres, along with defenceman Jacob Bernard-Docker, from the Ottawa Senators prior to last year’s trade deadline in exchange for forward Dylan Cozens, defenceman Dennis Gilbert, and a draft pick.
Norris scored 21 goals and 35 points in 56 games between the Sens and Sabres last season.
The Oxford, Mich. native has struggled with injury in his career and has not surpassed 66 games in any of his six seasons to date.
In 240 NHL games with the Senators and Sabres, Norris has 91 goals and 158 points.
The Sabres recalled forward Josh Dunner from the AHL’s Rochester Americans on Friday.
