Karlsson for Norris ?

[Devlin]

really? i know 100+ points, -26. Isn't this trophy ever for a defenseman that plays D?

[pwskelly]

There were so many guys having an amazing season this year. I really thought that Quinn Hughes and Josh Morrissey could have won and a strong argument could have been made for half a dozen other guys such as Montour, Dahlin, Heiskanen, Fox, Makar, and Hamilton to list a few.

Ultimately though, Karlsson was a dominant force all season long for the Sharks. He also logged big minutes for a team that rarely played defense (only Anaheim and Columbus were worse), regardless of his own personal efforts.

[30ranfordfan]

Karlsson has it in the bag. He had one of the best seasons by a defenseman ever.

[Devlin]

He's a lousy defenseman, -26 this year, -103 career. Thought this was about the best defenseman?

[30ranfordfan]

He's a lousy defenseman, -26 this year, -103 career. Thought this was about the best defenseman?

You win hockey games by outscoring your opponent. Karlsson had 101 points with a team that scored 234 goals. He either scored or assisted on 43% of his (lousy) team's goals.

I would never argue that Karlsson is the best own-zone dman in the league. While I don't believe he's as bad as some make him out to be, that's certainly not a part of his game I'd call elite. His transition game? His game in the other team's end? Those parts of his game are elite, and nobody was nearly as good as he was this past season.

Defensman do more than block shots, break cycles, and clog up passing lanes. Once doesn't have to be an elite own-zone defender to be the best dman in the league, in a given year.

Dude's already won a pair of Norris trophies (2012, 2015) and was robbed of another (2016). He's an elite talent, whose spent far too many years on weak teams, and had multiple seasons wrecked due to injury.

I'm just hoping this past season is a sign that he's finally heathy again, and we're going to get to see him play like this for a few more seasons - and not one last great season.