News Article: Sens sign forward prospect Josh Norris to an entry level contract

[Sens of Anarchy]

Anyone here have any comments on his ability to switch to the wing long-term?

He may end up losing out on the prime C spots with the big club (tons can change obviously, nothing is set in stone with this franchise, but Brown/White/Tierney/Pageau/Chlapik/2020 1st/ect could all be ahead of him in the pecking order).

I only ask because obviously he's a guy that can put the puck in the net. He could end up as a real nice compliment to some of our playmaking centers (his 2 way game may help as well, since guys like Brown/Tierney and Chlapik aren't known for thie 2-way play)

I don't see any problem with him breaking in on the wing. He will have to be versatile. From what I have seen I think he is suited for C.. a 2/3 C .. White should be ahead of him now, but that can change going forward. I think if DJ wants his C to be the 3rd D man in the D zone .,, which is a departure from a strict F1, F2, F3 , Norris' game will suit that well. Maybe its White that gets moved to the wing as they move on. I am hoping that White can take another jump this year. I think it will be more difficult for all those tweener types with no good vets to play with but he will for sure get his chance. Can they manufacture enough? Can they drive enough? Can they sustain possession enough? Mark Stone was a hell of a great player to learn beside.

 

[Micklebot]

It will be interesting to see how DJ Smith deploys everyone. With White, Pageau, and Norris all considered fairly responsible centers, and Brown as more of an offensive specialist, then Tierney to fit in as well, there is lots of options allowing us to shift guys to the wing.

 

[JD1]

It will be interesting to see how DJ Smith deploys everyone. With White, Pageau, and Norris all considered fairly responsible centers, and Brown as more of an offensive specialist, then Tierney to fit in as well, there is lots of options allowing us to shift guys to the wing.

Theres zach smith and chaplik as well. There is plenty of depth up front ahd for sure it'll be interesting to see how it plays out. Specialty teqms will come into who mqkes the team.

 

[OgieO]

Theres zach smith and chaplik as well. There is plenty of depth up front ahd for sure it'll be interesting to see how it plays out. Specialty teqms will come into who mqkes the team.

Would be nice to see Smith down on the 4th line. I actually think he's pretty effective from that spot. White, Brown, Pageau, Smith down the middle is not good but not terrible either. Kinda depends how Brown develops I guess. Pageau and Smith as the back two are fine - both decent on the PK and are responsible in their own end. Pageau has enough offense for a #3 C. White seems (at this point) like a good #2 in the making. We just lack the true #1. Fingers crossed for Brown being good.

 

[branch]

Theres zach smith and chaplik as well. There is plenty of depth up front ahd for sure it'll be interesting to see how it plays out. Specialty teqms will come into who mqkes the team.

Putting Zack Smith out at C is just a waste of time.

 

[Micklebot]

Putting Zack Smith out at C is just a waste of time.

A bit off topic but i think he fits nicely as a 4th line center, albeit overpaid for that role. Good at faceoffs, doesn't need to be sheltered and can suppliment his mins with PK.

Imo the bigger waste of time would be playing him with our skilled players.

 

[stempniaksen]

Assuming we're stuck with Smith 4C is probably the ideal spot for him, honestly. I'd much rather see him jettisoned to give that role to a younger/cheaper option, but given the unlikeliness of that happening I hope (DJ) Smith marks down (Zack) Smith in sharpie for the 4C role. Speaking of overpaid veterans who are terrible, Boedkker needs to be stapled to that 4th line too. Holy cow is that guy ever a medicore player. He's not good offensively, he's not good defensively, he's not physical, he's just kind of there.

Let the kids play in the top-9 with our decent veterans (Pageau, Tierney, Ryan) sprinkled in and ride out Smith and Boedkker's deals with them on the 4th line getting ~10 minutes/game.

 

[DaveMatthew]

It will be interesting to see how DJ Smith deploys everyone. With White, Pageau, and Norris all considered fairly responsible centers, and Brown as more of an offensive specialist, then Tierney to fit in as well, there is lots of options allowing us to shift guys to the wing.

Norris should be in the AHL.

I'd put Pageau on LW to play with Brown-Batherson. Gives them defense and can do some of the dirty work, while also stepping in to take faceoffs once in a while.

Tkachuk - White - TBD
Pageau - Brown - Batherson

 

[5ive4Fighting]

Priorities people. Never mind skill and who is ready. We quite clearly either need the Colin' Chuck Norris line or the Paging Chuck Norris line. So White and/or Pageau are the only reasonable fits at center for Tkachuk and Norris.

 

[Micklebot]

Norris should be in the AHL.

I'd put Pageau on LW to play with Brown-Batherson. Gives them defense and can do some of the dirty work, while also stepping in to take faceoffs once in a while.

Tkachuk - White - TBD
Pageau - Brown - Batherson

I meant long term not this season. If he follows the same pattern as White did we should see him get a couple dozen games the 2020-21 season.

 

[aragorn]

I think if they were to put Norris on LW at some future point with Brown & Batherson that they would have the makings of a very good top line. Brown, White, Chlapik & Paul down the middle has potential & they should be able to add another top 6 centre over the course of the next three drafts.

 

[dumbdick]

I think if they were to put Norris on LW at some future point with Brown & Batherson that they would have the makings of a very good top line. Brown, White, Chlapik & Paul down the middle has potential & they should be able to add another top 6 centre over the course of the next three drafts.

This is not going to be a top line in the nhl.

 

[stempniaksen]

This is not going to be a top line in the nhl.

Yeah. I'm not gonna completely discount it because of their upsides, but we could just as easily be looking at 2nd liner, a 3rd liner and a bust.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Assuming we're stuck with Smith 4C is probably the ideal spot for him, honestly. I'd much rather see him jettisoned to give that role to a younger/cheaper option, but given the unlikeliness of that happening I hope (DJ) Smith marks down (Zack) Smith in sharpie for the 4C role. Speaking of overpaid veterans who are terrible, Boedkker needs to be stapled to that 4th line too. Holy cow is that guy ever a medicore player. He's not good offensively, he's not good defensively, he's not physical, he's just kind of there.

Let the kids play in the top-9 with our decent veterans (Pageau, Tierney, Ryan) sprinkled in and ride out Smith and Boedkker's deals with them on the 4th line getting ~10 minutes/game.

Would like to see Boedker go.. for anything or waived. Smith on the 4th and a PK unit works for me. Wouldn't mind seeing Paul on the 4th line.

 

[DJB]

I don't see any problem with him breaking in on the wing. He will have to be versatile. From what I have seen I think he is suited for C.. a 2/3 C .. White should be ahead of him now, but that can change going forward. I think if DJ wants his C to be the 3rd D man in the D zone .,, which is a departure from a strict F1, F2, F3 , Norris' game will suit that well. Maybe its White that gets moved to the wing as they move on. I am hoping that White can take another jump this year. I think it will be more difficult for all those tweener types with no good vets to play with but he will for sure get his chance. Can they manufacture enough? Can they drive enough? Can they sustain possession enough? Mark Stone was a hell of a great player to learn beside.

Is that bolded confirmed? If so it's the first intelligent decision so far that I like.

More traditional , easier for the kids as well and keeps everyone more positional and avoids the "running around" in the d zone.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Is that bolded confirmed? If so it's the first intelligent decision so far that I like.

More traditional , easier for the kids as well and keeps everyone more positional and avoids the "running around" in the d zone.

He said it in the presser when he was announced

 

[aragorn]

This is not going to be a top line in the nhl.

Why not?

- Brown was projected to be a #1 centre in the NHL & the main reason the Sens drafted him IMO. Why would he not become a top line centre in the NHL?
- Batherson played on the top line with Duchene when he was here & they did rather well together, I don't see why he wouldn't be on a top line again with Brown as he was in the AHL.
- Norris was projected to be a top line centre & drafted as a very skilled player, even if they convert him to the wing, he has enough skill to play on the top line in the NHL & compliment his linemates.
- if they are able to add a very good player to the Tkachuk & White duo they could also be considered a top line, both lines have lots of potential with the players they have. Duclair could play on White's line for yrs, if he can become a consistent point producer. Ryan could play with them next season replacing Stone on that line, they were very good with Stone.

 

[dumbdick]

Why not?

- Brown was projected to be a #1 centre in the NHL & the main reason the Sens drafted him IMO. Why would he not become a top line centre in the NHL?
- Batherson played on the top line with Duchene when he was here & they did rather well together, I don't see why he wouldn't be on a top line again with Brown as he was in the AHL.
- Norris was projected to be a top line centre & drafted as a very skilled player, even if they convert him to the wing, he has enough skill to play on the top line in the NHL & compliment his linemates.
- if they are able to add a very good player to the Tkachuk & White duo they could also be considered a top line, both lines have lots of potential with the players they have. Duclair could play on White's line for yrs, if he can become a consistent point producer. Ryan could play with them next season replacing Stone on that line, they were very good with Stone.

It just wont happen. Having three non-elite prospects all hit first-line ceilings is seriously unlikely, even on this team. Brown in particular i'm worried about. Hes like a substantially less skilled spezza.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

It just wont happen. Having three non-elite prospects all hit first-line ceilings is seriously unlikely, even on this team. Brown in particular i'm worried about. Hes like a substantially less skilled spezza.

They don't need to all hit their ceilings for the Senators to be happy/team to be good. If they all at least become top 6 material, we are set and those are not wild expectations.

 

[TkachukNorris79]

It just wont happen. Having three non-elite prospects all hit first-line ceilings is seriously unlikely, even on this team. Brown in particular i'm worried about. Hes like a substantially less skilled spezza.

I still think Brown's best shot at becoming a 1C is beside Tkachuk and Batherson. He clearly has a lot of chemistry with Drake, and Tkachuk is already line driver who's playing style forces his linemates to be fully engaged with the play. Our 2nd line would be very meh with maybe Duclair-White-Ryan, but that's fine, we need a top 5 pick next year. Let that top line develop this year. And maybe you split them up later on, but I actually think that's the best bet for their development.

Ideally we take a C this year but if we land Byfield next year, 2 of Norris, Brown, White and the 2019 pick would have to move to the wing, which is not a bad thing at all.

 

[dumbdick]

They don't need to all hit their ceilings for the Senators to be happy/team to be good. If they all at least become top 6 material, we are set and those are not wild expectations.

Not disagreeing, but the post was specifically about these three becoming a first line in the NHL.

 

[aragorn]

Not disagreeing, but the post was specifically about these three becoming a first line in the NHL.

Not exactly, I said Brown was drafted to be a top line centre but I really don't know what to expect only that he did well enough in Belleville last yr that it now looks like it is a possibility. He played on the top line in Belleville along with Batherson who had a fabulous yr in Belleville & most consider him a top line forward too. It might never happen, but it also could happen you don't know the future either. And Norris by all accounts has been projected to be a top six player, again might not happen but it could we won't know for a while yet. All three at this point in their development like they have the skill set to be impact players at the NHL level, to me anyway.

You may not expect that all three project to be top line players but each individually have looked like players who could evolve into top line players in Ottawa. And having said that it doesn't matter whether they become a top line or second line what does it matter as long as they are able to produce at the NHL level. Those are the players I have the most faith in to become good NHL players more so than a lot of the other prospects in this organization. So I won't be changing that anytime soon.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

I expect Norris to spend 1.5 years in the AHL barring some kind of miracle.

 

[Tkachuk27]

I expect Norris to spend 1.5 years in the AHL barring some kind of miracle.

Tierney has a year left I give it a year or less.

 

[Do Make Say Think]

Tierney has a year left I give it a year or less.

Fair. How sad is it that we are all looking forward to when we never have watch Tierney play again.

Such mediocrity....