Why Ryan Suter Will Win the Norris

The Norris candidates have officially been announced.  Ryan Suter, PK Subban, and Kris Letang make up the hattrick of finalists.  As a Wild fan, I'm obviously biased and want Suter to win it.  Let's take a look at why that's a very real possibility.

 

In my opinion, Letang is going to be the number 3 man in this race.  He does have impressive offensive numbers (averaging a point per game) and led the NHL in assists by a defenseman despite missing 13 games.  It's not fair, but Letang is going to be handicapped by his shortened season.  People didn't get to see him quite as often as the other two.  He also benefits from an offensive team that strengthens his numbers a little bit.

 

Next up is PK Subban.  Is Subban deserving of a Norris this season?  Maybe.  Will he win it?  Doubtful.  Subban is a fantastic player, but he is also a disliked player.  From showing up late to camp becuase he was holding out for a better contract to his on-ice antics, Subban isn't the most liked or respected guy in the game.  While the Norris isn't a sportsmanship award (we've got the Lady Byng for that), the few voters that despise Subban may be what cost him the trophy in a tight race.

 

So has Suter's season justified a Norris trophy?  You have to look at the whole picture.  Production-wise, he is 2nd in assists and 3rd in points for defensemen.  What sets Suter apart is the circumstances and his impact, though.  He adjusted to a new defensive system, a new D-partner, and he did this without the benefit of a full training camp and full season.  He took nineteen year old Jonas Brodin under his wing to fill out the top pairing and he's played in all situations for the Wild.  He's been the anchor on a young and inexperienced blue line while averaging  over 27 minutes per game (most in the NHL).  The voters are going to have to look really hard to find a player that has done more for his team's success than Suter this season.