Victor Hedman, Roman Josi and Cale Makar were announced Monday as finalists for the NHL’s 2021-22 Norris Trophy, awarded annually “to the defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position.”
Members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association vote on the award each year. The winner will be revealed during the 2022 NHL Awards at some point during the conference finals and Stanley Cup Final, with dates and times to be announced.
Tampa Bay‘s Hedman is a Norris finalist for the sixth consecutive season. He won the award for the 2017-18 season, and placed third for each of 2016-17, 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21. This season Hedman recorded career-high totals in goals (20), assists (65) and points (85) while anchoring Tampa’s blueline en route to a 110-point season (third-best in franchise history).
Nashville‘s Josi is a Norris finalist for the second time after becoming the Predators’ first-ever winner of the award for his performance in 2019-20. During the 2021-22 campaign, Josi became the highest-scoring defenseman in the last 29 years, producing 23 goals and 96 points in 80 games. Only six defenders in the past 50 years have earned more points in a single campaign than Josi, who helped guide Nashville to an eighth straight postseason appearance.
Colorado‘s Makar is a Norris finalist for the second consecutive season, and is looking to become the first-ever winner in Avalanche history. Makar led all defensemen this season with 28 goals and was second in points (86) as one of Colorado’s most dynamic players in a franchise-record 119-point campaign. The 23-year-old won the NHL’s Calder Trophy in 2019 as Rookie of the Year, and is the fourth defenseman in NHL history to be a finalist in any award category through each of his first three seasons.
Source: www.espn.com