Hedman tabs Predators' Josi to take home Norris Trophy
It'd be a difficult call, but Tampa Bay Lightning blue-liner Victor Hedman knows who he'd pick to take home the Norris Trophy this season as the league's best defenseman.
"You look at the top two, obviously, (Roman) Josi and (Cale) Makar, little bit of different players but really highly skilled offensively," Hedman told reporters Thursday, per TSN. "I don't know. It'll be a tough vote this year, but I'd probably go with Josi."
Makar and Josi have dominated the Norris conversation all yearlong, and with less than two weeks left in the regular season, it's looking likely that one of the Central Division rivals will take home the hardware.
Josi is having a spectacular campaign with the Nashville Predators, as he currently leads all rearguards with a career-best 89 points in 75 games.
The 31-year-old is on pace for an outlandish 97 points in 82 contests, but if he goes on a heater to end the season, he has a chance to hit 100 points. Only five defensemen in NHL history have ever accomplished the feat, with Brian Leetch being the last to pull it off in 1991-92.
Makar, meanwhile, has been as dominant as ever for the Colorado Avalanche. The 23-year-old tops all defensemen with 27 goals in 73 games. If Makar were to light the lamp 30 times this season, he'd become only the third blue-liner to do so in the last 30 years.
Of course, the Norris Trophy is about more than just offensive output. Both players have registered strong numbers on the backend as well, with each ranking top-five in wins above replacement and goals above replacement among all defensemen.
| Player | ATOI | xGF% | WAR | GAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roman Josi | 25:29 | 52.53% | 3.2 | 18.4 |
| Cale Makar | 25:37 | 57.36% | 3.8 | 21.8 |
Hedman is certainly still in the conversation to win the Norris Trophy for the second time in his career. He trails only Steven Stamkos for most points on the Lightning with 73 in 76 games while leading his team with an average of 25:19 minutes of ice time per night.
New York Rangers star Adam Fox received the honor in 2020-21.
(Analytics source: Evolving-Hockey)
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