Adversity Already Striking Sabres And Star Center Norris

The Buffalo Sabres are just one game into the 2025-26 regular season, and already the adversity is starting to pile up. After being without defenseman Owen Power and goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen for the first game of the year Thursday against the New York Rangers, the Sabres released some ominous-sounding inormation about star center Josh Norris, as well as an injury to winger Zach Benson, although the injury to Benson may prove to be far less significant that they injury to the often-injured Norris.

When the Sabres acquired Norris from the Ottawa Senators last season, the book on Norris was he was a talented player, but one who was unfortunate on the health front. In five NHL seasons, the most Norris has played in a single season was 66 games, and he’s only played 60 or more games twice in that span. Clearly, it’s reasonable to be worried about Norris’ durability.

And now, it’s possible — emphasis on “possible” — that Norris could miss significant time. That would be devastating for the Sabres’ Stanley Cup playoff hopes. But that was the tone Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff struck in describing Norris’ health status.

“I know that he’s not dealing with (the injury) very good,” Ruff said of Norris. “(H)e’s pretty disappointed with where he’s at with this injury.”

Sabres’ Schedule Is Punishing Out Of The Gate — And It Could Be Why Buffalo Misses Playoffs For 15th Straight Season
The Buffalo Sabres†2025-26 regular-season is here at last, and the Sabres would certainly like to win their first game – a home game against the New York Rangers Thursday night – an analysis of their schedule tells Sabres fans they need to buckle down and get ready for a true test of this team, right out of the starting block.

Let’s be clear: if you’re Norris and you have a minor injury, you’re not feeling disappointed. You’re feeling fortunate if the injury is only minor. So Ruff’s choice of words says a lot about the likelihood that Norris will be back anytime soon. Again, that would seriously hamper Buffalo’s playoff aspirations.

Sure, Norris’ absence opens up an opportunity on the top line for one of Buffalo’s other centers. But it will take a minor miracle for any youngster to power the Sabres to a playoff berth in the hyper-competitive Atlantic Division. 

Will Sabres Have Any Individual Award-Winners This Season?
Full disclosure: the Buffalo Sabres aren’t particularly interested in the NHL’s individual awards. But who’s kidding who — you always like to perform well, and that’s somthing  the league de facto acknowledges by handing out end-of-season honours. 

And while poor luck health-wise will be an excuse if Buffalo misses the playoffs for a 15th straight season, it won’t matter a lick to exhausted Sabres fans. All they’ll know is the bottom line, and the bottom line could once again show the Sabres simply don’t make the right roster choices to be a consistent playoff team.

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