Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi is the winner of the 2020 Norris Trophy. Paul Coffey, one of the stars of the Edmonton Oilers’ dynasty teams in the 1980s, announced Josi the winner on Zoom. The NHL Awards show was hosted from the Edmonton bubble where the Stanley Cup Final is being held.
The Norris Trophy is “awarded annually to the National Hockey League’s top defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position.”
Josi edged out the Capitals’ John Carlson, who was runner up, and the Lightning’s Victor Hedman. Surprisingly, it wasn’t close.
The Preds captain received 109 first-place votes to Carlson’s 56. Overall, he beat out Carlson by 232 points.
During the regular season, Josi finished second in points for defensemen, scoring 65 (16g, 49a) in 69 games. The Bern, Switzerland native was the only blueliner to record at least 15 goals, 45 assists, 60 points, a plus-20 rating, and 25 minutes of average ice time over the past season. According to the Predators, Josi ranked among the top three League defenders in several categories, including shots (1st, 260), points (2nd, 65), goals (t-2nd, 16), assists (2nd, 49), and average time on ice (3rd, 25:47).
Roman Josi is the first @PredsNHL defenseman to win the Norris Trophy and the first Swiss-born player to win an individual honor at the #NHLAwards. #NHLStats pic.twitter.com/NDfxbhlmm4
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) September 21, 2020
Carlson was the fifth Capitals defenseman to ever be voted as a finalist. Only Capitals defenseman Rod Langway has won the award (1983 and 1984). Mike Green was named a finalist in back-to-back years (2009, 2010), but was runner up both seasons. Other Capitals defensemen to end up being finalists but not win include Scott Stevens (1988) and Larry Murphy (1987). Langway also finished third in 1985.
Carlson was dominant offensively during the pandemic-shortened 2019-20 season. He tied a career-high with 15 goals and set new career-highs in assists (60) and points (75). He was on pace for 89 points in a full season.
According to the Capitals, Carlson’s 1.09 points per game this season were the highest total by a defenseman since the 1993-94 season (Ray Bourque, Al MacInnis, and Sergei Zubov). Carlson’s 60 assists led all NHL defensemen and ranked fourth among all players in the NHL (Leon Draisaitl: 67; Connor McDavid: 63; Artemi Panarin: 63).
Carlson’s overall offensive output was one of the best from a defenseman over the last 15 seasons despite the campaign being cut short.
| Player | Season | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Brent Burns | 2018-19 | 83 |
| Erik Karlsson | 2015-16 | 82 |
| Nicklas Lidstrom | 2005-06 | 80 |
| Erik Karlsson | 2011-12 | 78 |
| Brent Burns | 2016-17 | 76 |
| Mike Green | 2009-10 | 76 |
| Brent Burns | 2015-16 | 75 |
| John Carlson | 2019-20 | 75 |
| Mark Giordano | 2018-19 | 74 |
| Erik Karlsson | 2013-14 | 74 |
Even though he didn’t win, the Capitals congratulated Carlson for his great season on Twitter.
Stick taps to @JohnCarlson74 for an amazing season#ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/E7PxQKpDAK
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) September 21, 2020
More from the NHL:
Predators’ Roman Josi Wins James Norris Memorial Trophy
EDMONTON (Sept. 21, 2020) – Roman Josi of the Nashville Predators is the 2019-20 recipient of the James Norris Memorial Trophy, awarded “to the defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position,” as selected by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
Josi was a top-three pick on all 170 ballots, including 109 first-place selections, for 1,499 voting points. Second-place John Carlson of the Washington Capitals was the top choice of 56 voters in collecting 1,267 points, while third-place Victor Hedman of the Tampa Bay Lightning garnered four first-place votes and 820 points.
Josi led the Predators in scoring with 16-49–65 in 69 games, a franchise record for defensemen. His 65 points surpassed the previous mark of 61 he had recorded in 2015-16 and his 16 goals also marked a career high. The Nashville captain’s 12-game point streak (7-13–20) from Dec. 16-Jan. 9 set another franchise record for defensemen and was the longest by any blueliner since Philadelphia’s Shayne Gostisbehere (15 games) in 2015-16. Josi ranked among the top three League defenders in several categories, including shots (1st, 260), points (2nd, 65), goals (t-2nd, 16), assists (2nd, 49) and average time on ice (3rd, 25:47).
Josi is the first Swiss-born player to win an individual honor at the NHL Awards. The 30-year-old Bern native also is the first Norris Trophy winner in Predators history.
Screenshot: NHL on NBC
