David Perron reveals Senators player's reaction to teammate Josh Norris's Buffalo Sabres trade

David Perron shared how Ottawa Senators players reacted to Josh Norris' trade to the Buffalo Sabres. The trade saw Norris and Jacob Bernard-Docker transfer to Buffalo. In return, Ottawa received Dylan Cozens, Dennis Gilbert and a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL draft.

Perron said several teammates were emotional after the trade and needed space.

"I saw how emotional it was for several guys after Josh was traded. I gave guys space. But it's going to keep happening until you take the next step as a team." Perron said, via a tweet by TSN 1200 Ottawa.

Norris is in the third season of an eight-year, $63.6 million contract. He has 33 points in 53 games this season, which includes 20 goals. He said his last few years have been tough due to injuries, but he is healthy now. He thanked Ottawa for the opportunity and looks forward to playing for Buffalo.

"The last couple of years have not gone the way I wanted with injuries and stuff," Norris said on Saturday, via NHL.com "But I have managed to stay healthy this year. I really appreciate the opportunity they are giving me here… It happened pretty quickly yesterday, before practice. It was a weird day, for sure.

Have a lot of friends in Ottawa, but I am really excited to be here. It is always a team that is not easy to play against, a lot of elite skills. I am excited to get going here, it’s a fresh start for me."

Senators have signed Cozens, a 24-year-old forward in the second year of a seven-year contract. He has 31 points in 61 games this season.

Senators captain Brady Tkachuk talked about Josh Norris's trade

Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk said losing Josh Norris was tough because they were close friends. Although the team will miss him, it will support the new players.

"Yeah, it's pretty tough," Tkachuk said, via NHL.com "It [stinks] losing a guy like [Norris]. Obviously, everybody knows how much he means to me. Just spent the last little bit with him and I'll kind of take advantage of every minute for the rest of the day ... Tough practice today."

Ottawa is currently in a playoff position with a 32-25-5 record and has made other moves to strengthen the team. It also acquired Fabian Zetterlund from San Jose. The Senators will now focus on finishing the season strong. Tkachuk leads with 26 goals, while Tim Stutzle has 45 assists and 65 points.