2009 NHL Norris Trophy Candidates
The Late-Season Nominees for 2009's Best Defenseman
Defense wins championships is the saying in sports, whether hockey, basketball, baseball or football. Every great goalie has a great or at least good defense in front of him/her, one that is willing to give up the body to do whatever it takes to stop the puck from getting to the net. And every one of these defenses have a leader, an anchor that is the central powerhouse of this defense and the one that everyone looks at in tough situations. This defenseman not only hits hard, plays hard and usually is assigned to stop the other team's top players, he also contributes on the offensive end, making smart passes and jumping into the rush at timely situations and finishes with the best of them. Here are this year's top defenseman, this time, in ranking order because to be honest, it is a two-horse race at this point.
Detroit Red Wings, Nicklas Lidstrom
Year to Date: 57 GP, 12 Goals, 44 Points, +23
Lidstrom is basically a automatic entry before the season even starts, the 38 year old seems to be ageless as he has been the defenseman model of consistency for as long as anyone can remember. He has won 6 of the last 7 possible Norris Trophies (one lockout season) and is chasing down Bobby Orr's all-time record of 8 in a career (For those that want to know, Orr only played till his early 30s because of injury). Lidstrom ranks 4th in points, while having a +23 rating that is simply sparkling. He gives the Red Wings 25 solid minutes a game, including quarterbacking the powerplay and anchoring one of the best penalty kills in the league. What more can you say about Lidstrom? This guy is the front-runner as of this point in the season and if he keeps playing, who knows how many more Norris' he will take home before he retires.
Washington Capitals, Mike Green
Year to Date: 47 GP, 22 Goals, 52 Points, +26
If there is anyone in the league that has a chance to dethrone Lidstrom this year, it has to be Washington's Mike Green. Green has shown no signs of being a one-season wonder, following up a breakout season last year with a even better season. He broke the record for most consecutive games with at least one goal scored by a defenseman last week with 8 straight games with a goal, and leads all defenseman in the goals and points scored categories. While he's no Lidstrom on defenseman, Green gets the job done with a +26 rating and is 6th in the league in takeaways. Green has made his case this year, and is really the only challenger to Lidstrom.
Chicago Blackhawks, Duncan Kieth
Year to Date: 54 GP, 7 Goals, 39 Points, +31
Kieth may be a surprise name to show up for the Norris Trophy for many, but when it comes to defense, how can the guy with the best +/- rating in the league be ignored. He also ranks 3rd in the league in takeaways with 40. Not only has Kieth played a solid defensive game this year, he has contributed with a solid 39 points in 54 games. He has proved to be a perfect defensive partner for offensive minded Brian Campbell. As mentioned before, Kieth is not in a class with Green or Lidstrom, but his solid play has definitely deserved a nomination for the Norris this year.
Detroit Red Wings, Brian Rafalski
Year to Date: 60 GP, 8 Goals, 50 Points, +14
Lidstrom's partner in crime has garnered some attention as well. Second to Green in defenseman scoring this year, Rafalski continues to impress at the age of 35. His defensive play has improve since his struggles at the start of the season and his +14 shows it. He anchors Detroit's powerplay along with Lidstrom, and is usually the one that puts it in the perfect spot for Lidstrom to let this cannon go from the point. Although Rafalski does produce much like Green, he is overshadowed by Lidstrom and is only worth an honourable mention for the Norris.
There are definitely a couple of others that can qualify for an honourable mention, such as Boston's Dennis Wideman and the Sharks' Rob Blake but as before mentioned, it is a two-horse race for the Norris. Green has the record-breaking season to boost his stock, but Lidstrom is just so good all around to ignore. It will be one of those two to take home the trophy, all others will just be spectators.
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