Written by Todd Cordell, who can be found on twitter @ToddCordell.
While there are always plenty of good candidates for every major award, this year’s Norris Trophy winner is particularly hard to pick.
A plethora of defensemen had excellent seasons, but there wasn’t one guy who clearly separated himself from the pack as a runaway winner.
Here are my top-5 candidates (not finalist predictions) for the Norris this year.
Drew Doughty
Drew Doughty was arguably the best, and most consistent, player on the Kings this season.
While averaging an absurd total of 29 minutes per game, Doughty managed to play in all 82 games, and owned a 55.7 Corsi For percentage during 5 vs 5 play despite playing against the opposing team’s best players on a nightly basis.
Not only did he succeed in shutting down the best players the league has to offer, but he recorded 46 points – the 2nd highest total of his career – despite shooting a career worst 3.2% on the season while tallying well over 200 shots.
Even with his excellent play this season the Kings still somehow managed to miss the playoffs. It’s hard to imagine where they would have finished without Doughty.
Mark Giordano
Mark Giordano missed the final quarter of the season, but a case can be made that he’s the biggest reason the Calgary Flames have found their way back to the playoffs.
Giordano far and away outperformed the rest of the Flames, as they were a 42.7% possession team at full strength without him on the ice, while the Flames generated over 48% of the shot attempts with him on the ice.
Giordano posted those solid numbers while playing over 25 minutes a game for the Flames, and he recorded 48 points in 61 games in the process.
Had he played the full season and continued to produce at that rate he’d be one of, if not the Norris favorite.
Erik Karlsson
Erik Karlsson wasn’t posting Erik Karlsson-esque numbers for the first half of the season, but boy did that change in the second half.
Since the turn of the calendar Karlsson has recorded 41 points in 46 games, which is good for 9th in league scoring during that span.
The closest defensemen to him in that time? Justin Faulk and John Klingberg with 29 each, and Torey Krug with 24 after that.
Not only has Karlsson produced points, but he’s played well over 27 minutes on a nightly basis and driven possession at a high rate — his Corsi For percentage relative to the team is +4.5% at evens.
Karlsson finished the year with 21 goals, 66 points, and 292 shots (4th in the NHL) while playing huge minutes, and driving possession.
He’s as good of a Norris candidate as any.
Kris Letang
Kris Letang is another guy whose Norris chances took a hit because he missed time at the end of the season.
Before having his year finished on a late hit from Shane Doan, Letang had tallied 54 points in 69 games while playing big minutes, and driving possession.
Letang made a huge impact on the Pens, as they were better than a 55.6% possession team at even-strength with him on the ice, whereas they drove play at less than 51% without him.
He doesn’t get the credit he deserves because, well, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin play on his team, but he is truly among the best defensemen in the NHL, and it’s a shame more people don’t realize this.
P.K. Subban
Lastly we have P.K. Subban who, by all accounts, had a tremendous season for the Canadiens, and is one of the key reasons they finished atop their division.
He was one of three defensemen to record 60 points – Erik Karlsson (66) and Brent Burns (60) being the others – and he did so while suiting up in all 82 games while averaging over 26 minutes a night.
Like the rest of these cats, Subban posted good possession numbers (52CF%) while his team was much worse without him on the ice (46CF%).
I don’t know that Subban will win the Norris, but he’s certainly one of the better candidates and has given himself a chance to collect his 2nd Norris in three years.
Comparisons
My Ballot
1. Erik Karlsson – Ottawa
2. P.K. Subban – Montreal
3. Kris Letang – Pittsburgh
4. Mark Giordano – Calgary
5. Drew Doughty – Los Angeles
Drew Doughty
Mark Giordano
Erik Karlsson
Kris Letang
P.K. Subban