PuckSleuth
9Cap hit
$7.95M
7.6% of $104M cap
Term
4 yrs
Through 2029-30, then UFA
Clause
M-NTC
10-team no-trade list
Surplus value
−$1.545M
vs. $6.405M market estimate
Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source
2026-27 regular season
GP
1
Goals
0
0.0% shooting
Assists
0
0 primary
Points
0
0.00 per game
TOI/GP
16:19
PP 2:06 · PK 2:00
xGF%
62.5
5v5, +7.3 vs. last yr
Game Score
-0.09
per game, goals above average
Faceoff %
—
5 W · 2 L
Plus/minus
+1
Blocks 1 · Hits 2
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1 @ CBJ · L 6-3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 16:19 | 2:06 | 2:00 | 5-2 | 100 | 0 | 0 | +1 | -0.09 |
| May 18 vs MTL · OTL 3-2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 21:37 | 1:01 | 0:00 | 18-8 | 93 | 1 | 0 | -1 | -0.54 |
| May 16 @ MTL · W 8-3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 15:27 | 2:13 | 0:00 | 11-6 | 33 | 0 | 0 | +1 | +0.46 |
| May 14 vs MTL · L 6-3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 20:32 | 1:35 | 0:00 | 10-9 | 56 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -0.59 |
| May 12 @ MTL · W 3-2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12:41 | 1:21 | 0:00 | 10-6 | 20 | 0 | 0 | +1 | +0.40 |
GS = our Game Score, goals above average. FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.
Advanced metrics
5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 498 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards
87th percentile
81st percentile
96th percentile
68th percentile
57th percentile
83rd percentile
99th percentile
79th percentile
38th percentile
87th percentile
69th percentile
32nd percentile
98th percentile
49th percentile
xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.
Play styleElite playmaking center
Trait percentiles vs. NHL centers · 2025-26
Norris is a high-octane offensive engine who generates chances through elite passing and rush entry skills, then distributes from dangerous areas. He's ball-in-hand creative but needs to tighten his forechecking intensity and add more physical edge to his game.
- Shooting volume
- 53
- Playmaking
- 92
- Zone entries(est.)
- 84
- Forechecking
- 31
- Physicality
- 30
- Defensive impact
- 59
- Puck management
- 88
- Speed
- 89
Where he shoots from
Slot 54% · Mid-range 38% · Perimeter 8%(105 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- 92nd percentile playmaking sets up prime scoring chances for linemates
- 84th percentile rush chances create high-volume fast-break opportunities
- 89th percentile speed generates continuous offensive transition chances
Watch-outs
- 31st percentile forechecking limits puck recovery in opponents' zones
- 30th percentile physicality means minimal board battles and net presence
Similar style: Nick Suzuki (MTL), Nico Hischier (NJD)
Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.
Where his Game Score comes from
2025-26 · 44 GP · goals above average
Season total +4.7 goals, or +0.11 per game.
- Even strength offense
- +0.7
- Even strength defense
- +0.2
- Power play
- +0.6
- Finishing
- +0.8
- Playmaking
- +2.4
- Faceoffs
- -0.1
Game Score adds up a player's impact in goals compared with an average player given the same ice time: his share of expected goals for and against at even strength, on the power play, and on the penalty kill, plus finishing (goals minus expected goals), primary assists, penalties drawn and taken, and faceoffs. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.
By season
Regular season
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | P | +/- | SOG | TOI/GP | FO% | GS/GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | BUF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 1 | 16:19 | — | -0.09 |
| 2025-26 | BUF | 44 | 13 | 21 | 34 | +11 | 69 | 15:50 | 49.5% | +0.11 |
| 2024-25 | BUF, OTT | 56 | 21 | 14 | 35 | -6 | 96 | 18:21 | 53.8% | +0.12 |
| 2023-24 | OTT | 50 | 16 | 14 | 30 | -6 | 115 | 17:38 | 52.1% | -0.02 |
| 2022-23 | OTT | 8 | 2 | 1 | 3 | -1 | 15 | 17:59 | 57.9% | +0.05 |
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
- Expected Buffalo Post Game Show - Sabres vs Blue Jackets | Game 1
spreaker.com · Oct 2
- Evan Bouchard's Norris Trophy Revenge Tour Is Officially Underway
thehockeynews.com · Oct 1
- Sabres’ forward lines take shape as Krebs, Norris swap places | Buffalo Sabres
NHL.com · Sep 30
- Expected Buffalo Post Game Show - Preseason Game 2
spreaker.com · Sep 23
- Is it too early to put Norris Trophy pressure on Matthew Schaefer?
eyesonisles.com · Sep 12
- Cale Makar the Favorite For Norris. Who Will Be His Challengers? What's Wrong with EA NHL 27?
lockedonpodcasts.com · Sep 8
Sentiment & chatter
Fans
—
Beat writers
—
Media
—
Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.
Recent Game Scores
Last 10 games · goals above average
Average -0.14 per game over these 10.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2025-26, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 23.0 mph
- 86th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 124
- Hardest shot
- 87.4 mph
- 66th pct
- Distance
- 110.6 mi
- OZ time
- 45.9%
- 93rd pct
- DZ time
- 36.5%
Age curve
NHL forwards · production index
At 27, forwards typically produce 96% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 30, when the typical level is 84%.
From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.
Contract by season
4 seasons left
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | BUF | $7.95M | 7.6% |
| 2027-28 | BUF | $7.95M | 7.0% |
| 2028-29 | BUF | $7.95M | — |
| 2029-30 | BUF | $7.95M | — |
UFA after 2029-30. M-NTC (10-team list). $31.8M in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).