An idea to restructure defencemen trophies

I don't think "defense-only" guys need a special-award recognition, mostly because they're not as essential pieces to team success. There's nothing stopping Cale Makar from playing super conservative, butt-brand hockey, but that doesn't maximize his contributions to team success, so he doesn't do that.

I think a Dman needs to be productive offensively to win this award, but if some guys are really good offensively, but lacking defensively, they shouldn't win it. There have been some question marks in the past on both sides from my perspective.

Which is why I mention contributions to team success. If a guy is prone to defensive lapses, but his offensive and overall transition game vastly outweigh that, he's better that the position of defenceman than a guy who's a PK stud but only puts up like 15 points on the year.

We have the Vezina and we have the Jennings. We can have a Norris and a ..Whomever award.

Jennings isn't an individual award.

Counterpoint: there is nothing wrong with the existing system, because awards are not meant to be taken seriously.

Pretty much this. Yall know who vote on the majority of these awards, right?
 
Counterpoint: Players have bonuses in their contract if they win an award.
Counter counter point.
No they don’t.

ELC players that actually get the A or B clause do, and 35+ can negotiate one, on a new deal.

Everyone in between, there is no bonus for them in their contract.
 
there needs be an award for the best physical stay at home dman , very important players that dont get reconized
 
This feels like a false choice between two one-way defensemen.

What if the best defenseman in the league by a large margin is the 3rd best offensive guy and the 3rd best defensive guy at the same time?

(call it the Bourque trophy)
 
We have the Selke for the best defensive-forward, we should have an award for best defensive-defenseman. That’s what the Norris Trophy “should” be.

The Bobby Orr Trophy should be best offensive-defensemen.

And those should be the only two d-man specific trophies.
 

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