Is Burns the first indisputable Norris winner since 2007-08?

[Sureves]

So far obviously since the season isn't over.

There's honestly no room for argument whatsoever as to who deserves the Norris so far: it's Burns.

But it got me thinking, the Norris has been such a contentious award every year as far back as I can remember.

Is Lidstrom winning in 2007-08 over Phaneuf the last time we had this clear-cut superiority of #1 over #2 in the Norris race?

Discuss!

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[WesMcCauley]

Scoring leaders February 8th last season:
1.Kane 56gp- 76 points
2.Benn 53gp- 59 points
3.Karlsson 53gp- 59 points


Scoring leaders february 8th this season:
1. Crosby 46gp-60 points
2. Mcdavid 55gp-60 points
3. Burns 54gp- 57 points

 

[psycat]

Karlsson was the indisputable Norris winner last season. Pure robbery by the Canadian biased NHL- Actually one of the main reasons I decided to stop following NHL actively this season(annoying time-zone differences and the game becoming more and more stale+boring+to "good", leaning towards it's just being to easy, goalies being the others). Doesnt exactly help that the players are all media-trained, robotic, soulless droids. Oh abit off-topic I guess.

 

[CanadienShark]

Nope, not yet. Hedman is having a great season too.

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

easily yes

 

[Grandrift145]

Karlsson had a few undisputable seasons

 

[Poignant Discussion*]

Karlsson had a few undisputable seasons

maybe to ottawa fans

 

[AINEC*]

Nope, not yet. Hedman is having a great season too.

At this point no one is thinking Hedman over Burns

 

[jbeck5]

maybe to ottawa fans

What's the difference stat-wise?

 

[KevinRedkey]

If he continues, I'll say yes

But as someone pointed out above... Karlsson was on a similar pace this far in to the season, and was also pretty close to "undisputed" at that point. A lot can change in the next 30 games.

 

[MXD]

Other than being a Swede or a Sens, there's absolutely nothing that made Karlsson "undisputable" last season.

 

[hohosaregood]

Karlsson has been a two way force and should win it.

 

[WesMcCauley]

If he continues, I'll say yes

But as someone pointed out above... Karlsson was on a similar pace this far in to the season, and was also pretty close to "undisputed" at that point. A lot can change in the next 30 games.

It wasnt undisputed. Karlsson was the first defensemen since 95 to score 82 points. Its not like he had a bad end to the season. Doughty was the frontrunner all season no matter what happened because canadian media etc said all season long it was his time to win.

 

[Sureves]

If he continues, I'll say yes

But as someone pointed out above... Karlsson was on a similar pace this far in to the season, and was also pretty close to "undisputed" at that point. A lot can change in the next 30 games.

Unfortunately this just isn't true. As one example, here was the coaches poll that occurred at the Allstar break last year:

Best defenceman
Drew Doughty (LA) 12; Erik Karlsson (Ott) 5; Duncan Keith (Chi) 3; Oliver Ekman-Larsson (Ari) 2; Brent Burns (SJ) 1; Roman Josi (Nas) 1; Kris Letang (Pit) 1; Ryan Suter (Min) 1; Shea Weber (Nas) 1.

While I personally did not feel this way, the reality is Karlsson was not considered to be the best defenseman in the NHL last year.

Right or wrong, whether he should win / should have own the Norris was and is in massive dispute.

Burns on the other hand, I think you have to be a homer not to vote for him this season.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

Historically has any D-man ever won the Norris with a negative +/-?

 

[FrozenJagrt]

Historically has any D-man ever won the Norris with a negative +/-?

Lidstrom's lifetime achievement win was a -1 season I believe

 

[VoluntaryDom]

Ya boy Victor.

 

[AUAIOMRN]

Voted-on awards have little meaning. Understand this and your life becomes much easier.

The Norris is not given to "the best defenceman". It's given to "the player who gets voted best defenceman". There is a world of difference between those two things.

 

[hatterson]

Scoring leaders February 8th last season:
1.Kane 56gp- 76 points
2.Benn 53gp- 59 points
3.Karlsson 53gp- 59 points


Scoring leaders february 8th this season:
1. Crosby 46gp-60 points
2. Mcdavid 55gp-60 points
3. Burns 54gp- 57 points

Based on PPG, Burns is actually further behind Crosby than Karlsson was behind Kane. The reason it looks so lopsided is because Crosby missed a half dozen games at the beginning of the season and because the Hawks had a busier schedule through Feb 8th.

 

[HarrisonFord]

Karlsson has been a two way force and should win it.

lol.

 

[KevinRedkey]

It wasnt undisputed. Karlsson was the first defensemen since 95 to score 82 points. Its not like he had a bad end to the season. Doughty was the frontrunner all season no matter what happened because canadian media etc said all season long it was his time to win.

Unfortunately this just isn't true. As one example, here was the coaches poll that occurred at the Allstar break last year:



While I personally did not feel this way, the reality is Karlsson was not considered to be the best defenseman in the NHL last year.

Right or wrong, whether he should win / should have own the Norris was and is in massive dispute.

Burns on the other hand, I think you have to be a homer not to vote for him this season.

Points to both of you. It seems I was wrong. My bad.

 

[stepdad gaary]

its honestly so funny that when a canadian defensemen runs away with the scoring lead its unanimous but when Karlsson does it we have to reevaluate what we really want the norris to represent.

 

[FrozenJagrt]

lol.

Force might be a bit much, but he's vastly improved his defensive play as the season goes on

 

[Frank Drebin]

its honestly so funny that when a canadian defensemen runs away with the scoring lead its unanimous but when Karlsson does it we have to reevaluate what we really want the norris to represent.

Honestly. What is Burns doing this year that is different than what Karlsson did in others? Yet everyone wants Burns to win and for EK not to.

Is it because of their respective fanbases?

 

[BigT2002]

If its just off points, then yes. If they actually take the whole concept of work it takes to be a Dman (lol) then I would think Suter has to be up there as well.