An idea to restructure defencemen trophies

[Tasty Biscuits]

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?

 

[S E P H]

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

Counterpoint: Players have bonuses in their contract if they win an award.

Ah yes, what a totally original thread idea that has never been discussed before

Then leave, nobody asked you to come in here and state your opinion.

 

[LeProspector]

Counterpoint: Players have bonuses in their contract if they win an award.

Then leave, nobody asked you to come in here and state your opinion.

nobody asked you to respond to my post, but here we are.

 

[Golden_Jet]

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.

 

[deca guard]

there needs be an award for the best physical stay at home dman , very important players that dont get reconized

 

[Toby91ca]

Counterpoint: Players have bonuses in their contract if they win an award.

Some players, but generally speaking, most players aren't eligible for such types of bonuses

 

[tarheelhockey]

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)

 

[barkovcanfinnish]

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.

 

[barkovcanfinnish]

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 call that the Hart Trophy

 

[avsfan9]

Just give it the best defensman. Everyone has different opinions on who that is and the voters choose who that is whether fans like it or not.

 

[Dingo]

lol, you obviously didn’t watch him play, go read the history of hockey threads if you’re looking for who were the greatest defenders and why,

Orr was superior at both ends, you would be with a small minority thinking otherwise. I’m not looking to convince you, your mind is already made up.
But go read the HoH threads.

pretty easy to watch old Bruins games.

Its a very different game. Very hard to compare.

 

[S E P H]

Counter counter point.
No they don’t.

Ehhhh, yes they do.

 

[wetcoast]

What’s next, a best defensive forward award? Lunacy!

Top offensive goalie of course.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Ehhhh, yes they do.

No bonuses are only allowed in ELC and 35+ contracts.
There is a small bonus the NHL gives for some awards, but it is not part of any contract.

 

[Hockey Outsider]

i dont think even half of the Norris winners also led dmen in scoring.

Over the entire history of the award, the highest scoring defensemen won the Norris trophy exactly half the time (35 of 70 times). There were two seasons where two defensemen tied for the lead in scoring and one of them won the Norris trophy (which I'm counting as a win).

Since the start of the 21st century, the Norris has gone to the highest scoring defensemen in just 9 of the past 24 seasons. And three of those eight wins are from Nicklas Lidstrom, who was absolutely one of the best defensive defensemen in the league.

 

[Greatzsky 99]

100% disagree, Orr was greater than Lidstrom at both ends of the ice, and it’s not even debatable imo.

Is there any full games anywhere with Orr? (too lazy to start searching