How many points would Pelech need to be in the Norris conversation?

sebsisles

Registered User
Apr 25, 2013
1,089
709
Long Island
Pelech is one of the best shut down d-men in the league. He doesn't bring a lot of offense, but chips in a times. My question is, if Pelech continues playing like a top shut down guy, how many points would he need to be in the Norris Conversation?
 
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Mickey Marner

Registered User
Jul 9, 2014
19,225
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Dystopia
30+ points (82 games season) to be receive serious consideration. Stevens, Foote, Hatcher & Vlasic are examples of players who needed to score 30+ to get a decent number of votes.
 

denis5

Registered User
Mar 13, 2007
537
452
Pelech will never be in the Norris conversation because all voters see is offense. It's fine. I don't want him changing his game for personal recognition. His game as one of the best shut down defensmen in the league is perfect for the Islanders' needs.
 

tarheelhockey

Offside Review Specialist
Feb 12, 2010
84,982
137,355
Bojangles Parking Lot
Rod Langway won the Norris back-to-back in 1983 & 1984 with 33 & 34 points respectively.

That was in a very narrow context where arguably best defensive-defenseman ever to that point happened to emerge at exactly the same time that “the game is too open and sloppy, these Norris contenders don’t know how to do anything but score” was the prevailing sentiment.

Langway benefitted from that sentiment for three years, and that was the end of that.
 
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AhosDatsyukian

Registered User
Sep 25, 2020
10,609
30,781
Don't see how Slavin fits there. Yet to even hit a 40pt season.

Arguably the best defensive defenseman in the league and had 36 points in 68 games last season with pretty much no PP time. Could easily see those points numbers rise, especially if Dougie leaves which would open Slavin up to take more of an offensive role too.
 

Agent Zub

Registered User
Jan 2, 2015
14,425
11,713
Create the Bobby Orr Trophy for the highest scoring defenseman. Let the Norris Trophy revert back to being the best overall defenseman.

Honor a legend of the game and solve a persistent voting problem in one move.

offence is part of being the best "overall" defenseman.
 
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MessierII

Registered User
Aug 10, 2011
27,646
16,191
Is 5th not "close?"
Probably the closest he’ll come. That seems to be a career year points wise as he immediately took a step back. If he can break 40 points he might get into the top 5 again but I don’t see him ever having the offense to actually come close to winning.
 

Goptor

Registered User
Jun 30, 2016
2,201
2,552
As a defenseman, I like to participate in the offense by:
1.) Setting up plays behind the net like Gretz.
2.) Waiting between the faceoff circles with my stick in the air, preparing to unleash a fat slapper.
3.) Holding the point so I can provide a safe passing option and can easily get back to defense.
4.) I only enter the OZone for second period line changes.

#1 wins Norris trophies, #2 wins all-star game fan votes, #3 gets crapped on by the internet, #4 plays for Alain Vigneault.
 
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Regal

Registered User
Mar 12, 2010
24,545
13,840
Vancouver
offence is part of being the best "overall" defenseman.

Exactly. While points are perhaps too prevalent in the ratings of defensemen and players like Pelech and Tanev rank quite highly on a lot of statistics to measure overall impact this season, offense is still a big part of the position, as is transition ability and it's not actually that common that offensive players who aren't good defensively win the award.
 

Black Kevin

I don't work my ass off
Nov 19, 2019
764
2,436
Raleigh
I say 55+ point season and he'll be recognized as a star player. Two more, and he'll be in the conversation when talking about Norris candidates. So three seasons with 55+ points while also keeping his current level of defense. He could score 80 points next year and still not win it. You need a reputation and hype to win this award. If Doughty and Karlsson would've not driven themselves off the cliff as fast as they did, guys like Makar and Fox couldn't even dream about winning the Norris for the next 3-4 years at least.
 

GJB

Dr. Hook
Aug 12, 2002
2,085
627
Arguably the best defensive defenseman in the league and had 36 points in 68 games last season with pretty much no PP time. Could easily see those points numbers rise, especially if Dougie leaves which would open Slavin up to take more of an offensive role too.

Slavin was given the 4th most PP time on his team behind Hamilton, Pesce and Bean.

I don't question his defensive abilities but there is no way he wins a Norris without a very significant role change where is 1 or 2 for PP time.
 

AhosDatsyukian

Registered User
Sep 25, 2020
10,609
30,781
Slavin was given the 4th most PP time on his team behind Hamilton, Pesce and Bean.

I don't question his defensive abilities but there is no way he wins a Norris without a very significant role change where is 1 or 2 for PP time.

Umm, nice cherry picking and your stat is wrong. This season he was behind Dougie, Gardiner, Pesce and Bean for defensemen. We run 4 forwards on our PP units so that resulted in a whopping 7min. of PP time this year for Slavin...

The year before he had more with about 60min. but that was still 12th on the team and always with a significantly worse unit around him. The points he put up that year with minimal PP time show that he clearly has the offensive abilities to put up points if we use him in that role. Certainly enough to be in the Norris conversation when combined with his elite defensive play anyways. And once again, if Dougie leaves (I'd say it's more likely than not that he does), that would give Slavin more opportunity to take on an offensive role.
 

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