Ottawa Senators general manager Pierre Dorion delivered an interview with TSN on Sunday, giving a sort of state of the union address surrounding a variety of pressing issues around the organization. One of these is the contract status of pending restricted free agent Josh Norris, who’s in the final year of his entry-level deal that he signed in May of 2019. Norris emerged as the team’s number one center last season, scoring 35 points in 56 games in his first full NHL season. Dorion relayed that he spoke to Norris’ agent, Craig Oster, on Friday, expecting to begin talks with Norris “at some point in time.” While the quote carries a high degree of vagueness, dialogue this early, especially when initiated by the general manager, is always a promising sign on the path towards completing a contract. Norris has already scored a goal this season through his first two games.
More from the Senators organization:
- Dorion notes that an announcement about the team’s captaincy is not imminent, saying the club will continue to discuss and “take their time” on the decision. Many speculated that star winger Brady Tkachuk could be the next to sport the ’C’ for the Senators, especially after signing a seven-year contract to stay with the club earlier this week. It appears as though the team isn’t quite ready to make that call, as young defender Thomas Chabot also makes a compelling case to be named the club’s captain. Ottawa’s captaincy has remained vacant ever since the departure of Erik Karlsson in 2018.
- Speaking with TSN’s James Duthie, Dorion mentions that he’s open to holding trade talks about acquiring a center to help the team’s depth down the middle. While Ottawa’s emergence out of their rebuild hasn’t guided them to a playoff spot as of yet, the team’s messaging adamantly reveals that internally, they feel ready to take the next step. It’s unlikely that Ottawa is at the point where they’re willing to mortgage futures to swing a huge deal, but as Dorion mentions, if it’s the right fit, a smaller but still notable acquisition isn’t off the table this season if they find themselves in the race.
I wonder if the Hawks and Sens could work out some sort of deal where the Hawks flip Strome and Shaw’s contract to the Sens for maybe a player like Brannstrom. The Hawks need cap space. Both Strome and Brannstrom have fallen out of favour and they could both use a change of scenery.
The fact Brannstrom hasn’t been in a game yet despite J Brown and Zaitsev getting in 3 and Del Zotto being the Mete replacement is sad. Even if he has been a bit of a bust (he hasn’t), he’s better than those retreads.
The last thing the Sens need is center depth?
Norris, Pinto, Tierney, White (unless White is out long term, I guess) is really deep actually. All of them are at least 2nd or 3rd line caliber NHL centers.
What they need is quality at the top. If the could acquire a #1 to push Norris into 2C, Pinto into 3C, and White as 4C with Tierney traded, that’s really good.
Tierney would lucky to be the fourth line center on a good team
Sans luck…he’s a Senator.
I think he’s OK, but either way, point remains the same. What they (and many teams, admittedly) need is a true #1 center which turns Norris from a weak 1C to a strong 2C. If Pinto can play consistently like he did tonight, he’ll be a good 2C, but would be a great 3C. White is overpaid, but a fine 4C he would be.
I should say he is the definition of Ok. Can’t drive a line and can’t shutdown other teams good lines. But put him on the third or fourth line and he’ll be about net-average. You can do worse, but he’s definitely not somebody who should block them from targeting centers, whether they’re depth or top line players.
Brannstrom and a pair of #2 for Jack.
He’s going to be out all season rehabbing.
That $10 goes nowhere near the car until Sept 2022.
By then you have peddled Murray and Tierney.