Player Discussion Josh Norris C 6’1”

[Larionov]

I can't remember the last NCAA player to do the wait and walk thing. It's rare because there is zero financial incentive for them to do it - at the end of the day, they still have to sign an entry level deal. Conversely, there is tons of incentive for them to start their pro careers ASAP in order to get the clock started toward arbitration rights.

 

[Tuna99]

Scouting report compared him to Mike Fisher which is a huge compliment in my books. A playoff type of player, a matchup center - every team needs a player like this to compete.

Brown
Norris
White
Pageau
Tierney
Chlapik

Good young center depth. Not elite, but solid.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

I can't remember the last NCAA player to do the wait and walk thing. It's rare because there is zero financial incentive for them to do it - at the end of the day, they still have to sign an entry level deal. Conversely, there is tons of incentive for them to start their pro careers ASAP in order to get the clock started toward arbitration rights.

Fox?

 

[BondraTime]

I can't remember the last NCAA player to do the wait and walk thing. It's rare because there is zero financial incentive for them to do it - at the end of the day, they still have to sign an entry level deal. Conversely, there is tons of incentive for them to start their pro careers ASAP in order to get the clock started toward arbitration rights.

Fox (Carolina's best prospect) and Priske (Caps best D prospect) both announced to be doing it this year.

 

[danielpalfredsson]

I found PD’s response to Norris fairly passive.... we will try to sign him to play in Belleville. Not exactly a full endorsement to a D+2 first round pic. A US kid debating signing for Canada’s weakest team or waiting it out.

I was hoping for something along the lines of “we want him to come to camp and battle for a C or WING position”.

He was only drafted in 2017.

It's no different than expecting Brown or Batherson to have gone to Belleville to start this season. It would be abnormal if Norris earned a spot on the NHL roster right out of camp.

I wouldn't be worried about him not signing. If Dorion is talking about it, he's probably had some communication with Norris' representation ("family adviser"). There would have been no rush to get a deal done before the summer because if Norris signed an 18-19 ELC, it would have slid anyways. There'd be no point in doing that and it would have wasted a contract spot (we are at 50/50 right now). So for him, other than getting his signing bonus a few months earlier, it would be mostly the same as signing in the summer.

Typically a player in Norris' situation might sign an ELC dated for the next season a few months early, and in conjunction with that they would sign an ATO that would allow them to join the AHL for the remainder of the current season. The reason they do this is because their ELC would slide to the next season regardless if they signed it for the current season, and signing an ELC for the current season would void their eligibility to play pro hockey in the AHL since the AHL roster eligibility date (around the NHL TDL) has already passed. They only sign the ATO if the team gives them their post-dated ELC because the ATO voids their college eligibility, so they obviously don't want to turn around a month later and have the team change their mind about the ELC. The thing with Norris is that he's hurt, so that is also off the table.

With other stuff going on, there's no real reason to expect Norris' ELC to have been signed this season. I have no worries about him signing this summer, especially if management is already talking about it. The Sens are a good spot for him because there will be lots of opportunity to crack the NHL earlier on. As we already know, he also has a previous relationship with a lot of the players on the team (did you guys hear him and Tkachuk are BFFs?)

In a worst case scenario where he doesn't sign, we'd get a 2nd round pick as compensation. By my count, it would be 47th overall the year that we would lose his rights. I doubt it'll come to that, but it's not the same as the Fox situation where Carolina will only get something if they can negotiate a trade return through trading Fox to another team. (See Vesey from NSH to BUF)

 

[aragorn]

With Chlapik disappearing down the stretch it's nice to know Ott has another good centre to compete for a job next yr.

 

[OD99]

With Chlapik disappearing down the stretch it's nice to know Ott has another good centre to compete for a job next yr.

I think an injury will be uncovered...he was good all season and showed his speed when in the NHL as well.

Certainly will have a shot in Ottawa soon as a good depth player.

 

[DrakeAndJosh]

I have no doubt he'll sign so he can play with Brady down the line.

 

[SpezDispenser]

I could see Brady kicking his arse if he announced he wasn't signing with Ottawa.

 

[aragorn]

I can see Brown start as a centre in the NHL but Norris could take a yr or two on the wing before they decide to move him to centre or keep him on the wing. I would also add any centre they draft over the next 3 yrs as part of that list below & IMO one of Pageau or Tierny could get moved soon. Given that Pageau is a UFA next yr he might be the one moved first. We'll see.

1st line - Brown (eventually)
2nd line - White, Norris or Tierny
3rd line - Pageau, Tierny, Chlapik or Norris
4th line - Pageau, Chlapik or Paul

 

[Cosmix]

Scouting report compared him to Mike Fisher which is a huge compliment in my books. A playoff type of player, a matchup center - every team needs a player like this to compete.

Brown
Norris
White
Pageau
Tierney
Chlapik

Good young center depth. Not elite, but solid.

For sure this group is not elite. Might be just the thing for the TANK strategy to rebuild this team with elite prospects. But that will take years.

 

[Liver King]

Well we have proven to get elite talent late 1st round and in later rounds (Karlsson/Stone) but yeah we got to tank

Byfield / Lafreniere would be huge

Tkachuk Batherson Chabot and Brannstrom all need to be high end top line talent

Norris White Brown Formenton Wolanin Jaros JBD should all be quality NHL talent

 

[KnuckChuckinTkachuk]

Well we have proven to get elite talent late 1st round and in later rounds (Karlsson/Stone) but yeah we got to tank

Byfield / Lafreniere would be huge

Tkachuk Batherson Chabot and Brannstrom all need to be high end top line talent

Norris White Brown Formenton Wolanin Jaros JBD should all be quality NHL talent

We definitely need to draft a superstar either in 2019 or 2020.. especially after that Zadorov comment, punk ass.. lol

 

[Cosmix]

Well we have proven to get elite talent late 1st round and in later rounds (Karlsson/Stone) but yeah we got to tank

Byfield / Lafreniere would be huge

Tkachuk Batherson Chabot and Brannstrom all need to be high end top line talent

Norris White Brown Formenton Wolanin Jaros JBD should all be quality NHL talent

Yes we need to tank to get elite prospects. Not all of our current prospects will become top end players so tanking is necessary, particularly when the owner insists on a low budget and thus cannot afford top compensation for UFAs.

We appear to be entering year 3 of FYOUS where the S = Sucking !

 

[Cosmix]

We definitely need to draft a superstar either in 2019 or 2020.. especially after that Zadorov comment, punk ass.. lol

That goof; how dare he call a spade a spade!

 

[derriko]

Ottawa is unwillingly tanking next year, but hopefully it continues the year after. Two top 6 picks in back to back drafts could really tick the box for elite talent (especially next years draft from what I've read)

I actually think this team is set up pretty well for the future assuming 2 more high lottery picks are added to the fold. If you get two shots at a potential 1C, that takes a lot of weight off of some players shoulders like White, Norris, etc. They can move to the wing as needed and have an easier time developing

 

[TkachukNorris79]

Ottawa is unwillingly tanking next year, but hopefully it continues the year after. Two top 6 picks in back to back drafts could really tick the box for elite talent (especially next years draft from what I've read)

I actually think this team is set up pretty well for the future assuming 2 more high lottery picks are added to the fold. If you get two shots at a potential 1C, that takes a lot of weight off of some players shoulders like White, Norris, etc. They can move to the wing as needed and have an easier time developing

I wouldn't hate it, but I think 2020 will be enough.

Brown-Byfield (2020 2nd OA) -Batherson
Tkachuk-Norris-Duclair
Tierney-White-Balcers
Formenton-Pageau-Leason (2019 32OA)

Chabot-Brannstrom
Wolanin-JBD
Lajoie/Demelo/Jaros
Soderstrom/Seider(CBJ 1st)

Hogberg
Gus
Daccord

I mean I can't believe I'm saying it but that's a pretty well built team. Guess we'll see if they can reach their potential. But ya I guess adding another top 5 pick to that wouldn't hurt haha

 

[Sweatred]

On paper it looks good but when you start to compare vs Tampa, Toronto, Calgary, Winnipeg, etc you really see how far we have to go.

 

[Sen sational]

On paper it looks good but when you start to compare vs Tampa, Toronto, Calgary, Winnipeg, etc you really see how far we have to go.

Yes, but in 3 years time we’ll have a mature Batherson, Tkachuk, Brown (fingers crossed) with the same name recognition as Other top end players for current Tampa, TML etc. Not saying a Marner or Matthews ability, but a Giroux, Scheiffle level. Add in a Byfield and perhaps another top 5 and they are going to be hard to play against.

TML and Tampa built their offence at the expense of a well rounded defence and a big drop off in quality of the 3 & 4 line, whereas I can see Ottawa’s defence and balanced lines being a strong point. TML and Tampa’s 3, 4 and defence will only get worse as they have to get rid of players to keep their high end guys.

 

[topshelf15]

I can't remember the last NCAA player to do the wait and walk thing. It's rare because there is zero financial incentive for them to do it - at the end of the day, they still have to sign an entry level deal. Conversely, there is tons of incentive for them to start their pro careers ASAP in order to get the clock started toward arbitration rights.

Yep a rookie salary is still alot of money in the real world,hell even league min is something that could set you up for awhile

 

[aragorn]

Given that Norris & Tkachuk are good friends I don't see why he wouldn't sign here as Tkachuk did. If he wants to play in the NHL wouldn't it make sense to play for the worse team in the NHL so that you can get on the team sooner rather than later & he has the best chance here IMO. However, I doubt he starts in Ott to start the yr & we might not see him until after the trade deadline & hopefully, he can stay healthy all yr. If Ott could add another couple of good players in the 2020 draft especially Byfield, that would certainly move the rebuild in the right direction IMO.

Smith - Brown - Batherson - these two need a young Jamie Benn type on LW
Tkachuk - White - Ryan - Ryan is an excellent playmaker & should help these two
Formenton - Norris - Leason (2019 draft) - this could be a good future line
Paul - Tierny - Duclair - they have some work to do to improve the 4th line

Chabot - Seider (2019 draft)
Wolanin - Ceci
Harpur - Jaros/Boro

Anderson - Hogberg/Gustavsson

 

[BoardsofCanada]

I guess there's not much hope for Abramov on the future Sens?He's still young though..turns 21 in May.

 

[JD1]

Given that Norris & Tkachuk are good friends I don't see why he wouldn't sign here as Tkachuk did. If he wants to play in the NHL wouldn't it make sense to play for the worse team in the NHL so that you can get on the team sooner rather than later & he has the best chance here IMO. However, I doubt he starts in Ott to start the yr & we might not see him until after the trade deadline & hopefully, he can stay healthy all yr. If Ott could add another couple of good players in the 2020 draft especially Byfield, that would certainly move the rebuild in the right direction IMO.

Smith - Brown - Batherson - these two need a young Jamie Benn type on LW
Tkachuk - White - Ryan - Ryan is an excellent playmaker & should help these two
Formenton - Norris - Leason (2019 draft) - this could be a good future line
Paul - Tierny - Duclair - they have some work to do to improve the 4th line

Chabot - Seider (2019 draft)
Wolanin - Ceci
Harpur - Jaros/Boro

Anderson - Hogberg/Gustavsson

I think this team is built from the D out. Not from F back.

D out we have Chabot and Brannstrom and that is a clear asset.

I'm not sure what to say about your 4th line comment. Tierney is already more than a 4c. Duclair either gets his head/attitude sorted out or he doesn't. If he does he is a lot more than a 4th liner. If he doesn't he likely isn't here

 

[Sweatred]

Given that Norris & Tkachuk are good friends I don't see why he wouldn't sign here as Tkachuk did. If he wants to play in the NHL wouldn't it make sense to play for the worse team in the NHL so that you can get on the team sooner rather than later & he has the best chance here IMO. However, I doubt he starts in Ott to start the yr & we might not see him until after the trade deadline & hopefully, he can stay healthy all yr. If Ott could add another couple of good players in the 2020 draft especially Byfield, that would certainly move the rebuild in the right direction IMO.

Smith - Brown - Batherson - these two need a young Jamie Benn type on LW
Tkachuk - White - Ryan - Ryan is an excellent playmaker & should help these two
Formenton - Norris - Leason (2019 draft) - this could be a good future line
Paul - Tierny - Duclair - they have some work to do to improve the 4th line

Chabot - Seider (2019 draft)
Wolanin - Ceci
Harpur - Jaros/Boro

Anderson - Hogberg/Gustavsson

Formenton Norris Leason is probably Bellevilles 2-3rd line unless one of them has an amazing camp. I don't think Smith will see a lot of time anywhere other than the 4th line.

 

[aragorn]

Formenton Norris Leason is probably Bellevilles 2-3rd line unless one of them has an amazing camp. I don't think Smith will see a lot of time anywhere other than the 4th line.

Smith will get plenty of time on the PK & he will be relied upon to take d-zone faceoffs. And if you look at this team with all it's youngsters, Smith will be relied upon to help them out with numerous things on & off the ice & along with Pageau will more likely be on a 3rd line rather than 4th, but we'll see.