Would the NHL consider this?

[Cams]

At the very least the Norris name should disappear (cancel it!). The Norris family controlled three teams during the original six era, and were tied to organized crime.

Couldn't find anything on the last part, but I did learn that he was quite the prominent businessman in the first 100 years of Canada, as well as the beginnings of the NHL.

I also learned that the namesake for the trophy is the same James Norris as this old lake boat:

 

[bpower]

The Norris Trophy should still be for the best defenseman for history and continuity, but the idea of a trophy named the Bobby Orr Trophy for the best defensive defenseman would see a little off.

What about...

Norris: Best Overall Defenseman
Bobby Orr Memorial: Most Points by a Defenseman

 

[Buds17]

Offensive value just seems to be the easier thing to evaluate and celebrate as a team has to be able to score at least one goal in order to win a game. Hovering around the PPG mark as a defender is also not like a forward doing the same.

Although I do prefer a two-way game best, different eras will produce different results. Rod Langway and Erik Karlsson have each won two Norris trophies while arguably being much stronger at opposite ends of the ice. Realistically, there's also that every award other than the Rocket, Art Ross and Jennings will be a matter of opinion rather than something that is based purely on stats.

 

[Tak7]

Have a best defensive Dman award - the league is always so anxious to reward their star players, but what about the bottom pairing guys that play grueling PK minutes and shutdown matchups? Start rewarding those guys.

I'd do the same with the Selke as well - it's silly that the Selke always goes to a star player; start giving it to the lesser known guys who get the grueling PK minutes and extremely tough matchups. Guys that are always on the ice in the last minute of the game protecting a lead? Those are the guys that should be Selke candidates - not superstars who also play nice defense.

 

[Captain Crunch]

Can’t see them creating an award for a bottom pair, PK specialist. That’s all a ‘Defensive D Man’ is these days.
They should add a points award for a Defenseman with the Norris going to the ‘Best All Around’ player.

If that’s the case, what do you call the Selke winner?

 

[OddyOh]

Can you quantify best defensive d-man? You win the Ross by having the most points, you win the Rocket by having the most goals. So if we can find a way to quantify best defensive d-man then I’d love to see it.

The Don Cherry Memorial Award for Best Plus/Minus! (I’m f***ing kidding!)

 

[napoleon in rags]

I think they should award a participation ribbon to every player at the end of the season , that way they all feel special .

They already do. They're called contracts.

 

[seanlinden]

Can’t see them creating an award for a bottom pair, PK specialist. That’s all a ‘Defensive D Man’ is these days.
They should add a points award for a Defenseman with the Norris going to the ‘Best All Around’ player.

I think that's actually a great suggestion.

Create an award (maybe the Bobby Orr?) that is automatic like the rocket, awarded to the defenceman that puts up the most points; and I think it will help influence the writers who vote on the Norris to "not have to give it to the guy who puts up monster numbers".

 

[cannucky]

"The trophy is named in honour of Marie Evelyn Moreton (Lady Byng), wife of the Viscount Byng of Vimy, who commanded Canadian forces at the Battle of Vimy Ridge and who was Governor General of Canada from 1921 to 1926. Lady Byng, an avid hockey fan, decided to donate the trophy to the NHL in 1924–25."

You don't change the name of the Lady Byng.

Exactly and furthermore all the trophy's were donated by or in honour of the person they are named for so what kind of ignoramus would steal another persons trophy and name it after themselves ? Man our gene pool is getting awful shallow these generations .

 

[cannucky]

At the very least the Norris name should disappear (cancel it!). The Norris family controlled three teams during the original six era, and were tied to organized crime.

Thats not even close to reality , His side of the family was in the Grain business based in Chicago and his cousin was in the shipping business in Halifax , he was the landlord of the Blackhawks stadium because he bought before losing the ownership bid for the team and he was a minority shareholder in Madison Square Garden as well as lending money to Boston to keep the league afloat but the only team he personally controlled was Detroit and he created the name and logo after he bought the team from a bankruptcy .Theres no suggestion of being a mobster in his Bio he just expanded his grandfathers business and kept the NHL from collapsing during the hard times , for this he should be cancelled ? How about you come back when you have accomplished a tenth of what he did for the league and we'll talk about your cancel culture .

 

[The Apologist]

I get that, but that’s what you get when you have humans voting. Can you quantify best defensive d-man? You win the Ross by having the most points, you win the Rocket by having the most goals. So if we can find a way to quantify best defensive d-man then I’d love to see it.

How do you quantify the Selke or Hart? Or Vezina? Even the goalies have multiple awards.

 

[The Apologist]

The Norris Trophy should still be for the best defenseman for history and continuity, but the idea of a trophy named the Bobby Orr Trophy for the best defensive defenseman would see a little off.

Make the Norris what it should be, best overall dman. Then make the Orr the defenseman point leader.

 

[keonsbitterness]

Thats not even close to reality , His side of the family was in the Grain business based in Chicago and his cousin was in the shipping business in Halifax , he was the landlord of the Blackhawks stadium because he bought before losing the ownership bid for the team and he was a minority shareholder in Madison Square Garden as well as lending money to Boston to keep the league afloat but the only team he personally controlled was Detroit and he created the name and logo after he bought the team from a bankruptcy .Theres no suggestion of being a mobster in his Bio he just expanded his grandfathers business and kept the NHL from collapsing during the hard times , for this he should be cancelled ? How about you come back when you have accomplished a tenth of what he did for the league and we'll talk about your cancel culture .

Is this post for real?

 

[ThrowDemTongs]

We need a trophy for today's generation of dabs and flosses. The Logan Paul trophy or smth idk

 

[Gallagbi]

I think they should just not be so biased towards point totals in Norris Trophy Voting, I mean it's already at least a little bit biased for all the other trophies but it's probably the worst for Norris & Lady Byng.

The Lady Byng is apparently: "player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability" when really it's: "player with the least penalty minutes combined with a high standard of playing ability"

I still say Kaberle was robbed for this. Back to back seasons in the low 20 PIM range for a defenseman playing 25+ minutes a night in all situations? Come on now.

 

[PromisedLand]

IMHO

all the major awards except of Art-Ross and Rocket should be voted by the peers; no media BS

if the votes are tied then whoever has more points b/w them based on TOI should be awarded the trophy. Media hacks votes are a sham IMO

media can create their own awards for "best media personality" or something... and then vote on that

 

[SmoggyTwinkles]

Since there are two awards for forwards, the Rocket Richard (I don't believe a dman will ever win it) and the Selke, why couldn't there be an award for best defensive dman? The Norris will always go to the guy who has alot or most points. Why can't there be one for the guy who is considered the best at preventing goals?

It's certainly an interesting question because isn't there an award for essentially who is the best defensive forward? (the one Bergeron wins every year)

Then again, the Oscars are on right now but who gives a f***?