Norris Trophy Power Rankings: Rielly on top with gaudy offensive numbers

[Frank Drebin]

Letang will never get the credit he deserves because people automatically default to "he plays with Crosby and Malkin, easy to rack up points with them", but he's been arguably the Pens' MVP this year.

The Pens' defense corps, in particular, lives or dies by how Letang is playing. When he's on (which he's been for 95% of the games), it looks passable. But the rare times Letang's had a rough night, the defense looks AHL caliber.

(Note: not necessarily he *should* win the Norris. But he's having the type of season where he should at least be in the conversation and finish somewhere in the Top-5 in voting)

Did they not win a cup with him out of the lineup?

I'm not trying to take anything away from letang but if you can win a cup with him out of the lineup, it's a fairly functional d core, no?

 

[BLONG7]

Giordano will win the Norris........amazing year.

 

[Mattb124]

Burns has been inconsistent in the d-zone though his career, but in the last 2/3 of his Norris-winning and so far this season he has been really good defensively. My sense is a lot of posters don't watch him play much and just parrot the "tire fire in his own end" spiel.

His PK poke check that turned into a primary assist and Kane's short-handed goal was just 1 example.

 

[PsYcNeT]

I mean, it's nice and all that Burns isn't a massive liability, but Gio's defensive metrics are absolutely ridiculous and run roughshod over Burns' in comparison. They are only 10 points apart, and Gio's +/- shows that even with Burns scoring 10 more, Gio's presence is more of a net positive.

 

[Amadeus]

Giordano is the winner this year. Deservedly so as well! Rielly should be in the top 3.

 

[Saskatoon]

Its going to be hard to ignore Burns if he hits 90 points. Not guaranteed but definitely possibly based on where he is at. Hasn't been done since 93/94. Giordano is the other obvious choice right now.

 

[Captain Mountain]

Giordano will win the Norris........amazing year.

He probably deserved it in years past too but injuries kept him off people's ballots. But he's been consistently excellent in all areas of the game this season. It should be him.

 

[Alwalys]

IMO it's burns more now than before.
to be the clear best d-man on a team with erik karlsson is a feat

 

[Rodgerwilco]

I mean, it's nice and all that Burns isn't a massive liability, but Gio's defensive metrics are absolutely ridiculous and run roughshod over Burns' in comparison. They are only 10 points apart, and Gio's +/- shows that even with Burns scoring 10 more, Gio's presence is more of a net positive.

I agree, man.

Really good Defensively + good defensively >>>>>>>>>> Not a liability defensively + really good offensively.

 

[Cotton]

He's fine defensively but he's so incredibly valuable and effective offensively that there's no reason why they shouldn't use him in every offensive situation they can.

Not really. Big shot though... he's like a 4th forward.

Erik should tell him about the year he had 82 points in 82 games and didnt win the Norris. Right or wrong, just points doesnt always win out.

That's why Giordano is the likely favourite.

 

[joe dirte]

Not really. Big shot though... he's like a 4th forward.

Erik should tell him about the year he had 82 points in 82 games and didnt win the Norris. Right or wrong, just points doesnt always win out.

That's why Giordano is the likely favourite.

Burns is back and forth. When he's on his game, he can be pretty good defensively. But he's inconsistent. He can also be Karlsson level bad.

 

[Trocity]

I dunno nor particularly care who wins it. However, there is no doubt in my mind I would much rather have Brent Burns on my team. For the past 3 years he has almost solo carried the Sharks for long stretches of the regular season.

 

[Juxtaposer]

Not really. Big shot though... he's like a 4th forward.

Erik should tell him about the year he had 82 points in 82 games and didnt win the Norris. Right or wrong, just points doesnt always win out.

That's why Giordano is the likely favourite.

Hoo boy... Burns is nowhere near a 4th forward. He’s the best offensive defenseman in the league by a country mile, and while one will never mistake him for prime-Vlasic, he’s been extremely solid in his own zone this year. Sure, he can make some giveaways, but that’s the price for driving offense at the level he does and it’s worth it a hundred times over.

I’ve said it before and apparently I need to say it again. This is Burns’ best season in his career both offensively and defensively. You can scream “FOURTH FORWARD!!!1” all you want but the people who watch him game-in and game out and the players who play against him know what’s up.

 

[Absolut]

Burns is the front-runner at the moment. He's not as bad defensively as people make him out to be, but it would be sweet to have a Phil Housley type defenseman winning.

 

[BayStreetBully]

Rielly closing in on 60 points. It’s fantastic to see him playing like a Norris nominee.

 

[Nashology]

Burns is on pace for like 95 pts. Absolutely phenomenal.

 

[Agent Zuuuub]

Burns is the front-runner at the moment. He's not as bad defensively as people make him out to be, but it would be sweet to have a Phil Housley type defenseman winning.

I think it's Giordanos to lose.

He's having an absolutely fantastic year and precedent has been set with Doughtys "due" season.

 

[JoeThorntonsRooster]

Not really. Big shot though... he's like a 4th forward.

Erik should tell him about the year he had 82 points in 82 games and didnt win the Norris. Right or wrong, just points doesnt always win out.

That's why Giordano is the likely favourite.

Yeah his big shot is really the only thing even keeping him in the NHL. Not like he's 3rd in the NHL with 56 assists in 61 games.

 

[Ronnie Residue]

Yeah his big shot is really the only thing even keeping him in the NHL. Not like he's 3rd in the NHL with 56 assists in 61 games.

There’s no point using facts with the guys who will just stick to what they’ve heard other people saying. People who don’t watch him play just parrot each other.
4th forward
Defensive liability
Trainwreck
Blah blah blah.
They wouldn’t change their minds unless he got traded to the team they watch, then instantly he’d be getting the credit he’s due from them.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Did they not win a cup with him out of the lineup?

I'm not trying to take anything away from letang but if you can win a cup with him out of the lineup, it's a fairly functional d core, no?

This might have even the slightest relevance to what I said if the Pens had the exact same defense corps this season as they did when they won the Cup without him.

 

[JoeThorntonsRooster]

Of course, hes great offensively. That said i don't think he's "fine defensively", guess we'll agree to disagree on that point. His offense can carry him to a Norris win tho, it's happened in the past.



Yea you're right, he's already at 65%.. might as well kick it up to 90% o-zone starts and hand him the Norris. Like you said he's great offensively, they should let the 2nd and 3rd pairs handle all the tough matchups/minutes, huh? That's the sign of a truly great dman.

Burns is an elite playmaker. He's 3rd in the NHL in assists. Those kinds of guys tend to get put into offensive situations.

Player	Assists	OZFO%	Team OZFO% Without	Offensive Sheltering Relative to Teammates
Nikita Kucherov	70	57.31%	46.25%	11.06%
Blake Wheeler	57	57.39%	54.47%	2.92%
Brent Burns	56	62.88%	47.55%	15.33%
Patrick Kane	54	61.31%	46.15%	15.16%
Connor McDavid	54	55.76%	43.88%	11.88%
Mikko Rantanen	52	64.13%	48.12%	16.01%
Johnny Gaudreau	49	56.52%	51.50%	5.02%
Mitchell Marner	48	53.23%	48.43%	4.80%
Sidney Crosby	48	59.11%	40.86%	18.25%

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

The Sharks have a general territorial dominance over their opposition, taking 53.65% of their face-offs in the offensive zone at 5-on-5. They use that territorial dominance in order to deploy their best offensive player in a role which is conducive to scoring. It isn’t rocket science and it isn't an indictment of Burns' defensive play. Burns has a 56.54% CF and 53.11 CA/60, those are dominant numbers.

 

[Frank Drebin]

This might have even the slightest relevance to what I said if the Pens had the exact same defense corps this season as they did when they won the Cup without him.

Fair enough, point was both squads were/are unimpressive, and that pens can and have won without letang

 

[Frosty415]

Burns has almost 70 points and is the only D leading a team in scoring(3rd in the LEAGUE in assists)

If he hits 80 points he will win it

 

[Karl Prime]

Things that are predictable ... the sun rising, and Burns and Karlsson not getting enough respect for their 2-way play.

 

[Connor McConnor]

Gio
Burns

Are the 2 front runners for me.