Photo: Jess Starr
ARLINGTON, Va. – The National Hockey League announced today that Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson is one of three finalists for the Norris Trophy, which is presented annually to the top defenseman in the NHL.
Carlson joins Nashville’s Roman Josi and Tampa Bay’s Victor Hedman as the three finalists. Members of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association submitted ballots for the Norris Trophy at the conclusion of the regular season, with the top three vote-getters announced as finalists.
FROM CAPITALS PRESS RELEASE
Carlson is aiming for his first career Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman. Carlson could become the second player in franchise history to claim the prestigious award since Rod Langway in 1982-83 and 1983-84. Carlson’s 75 points in 69 games this season (15g, 60a) led all defensemen, 10 points ahead Josi and 20 points ahead of Hedman, who finished second and third among defensemen in points, respectively.
𝗡𝗢𝗥𝗥𝗜𝗦 𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗧#Johnny4Norris | @JohnCarlson74 pic.twitter.com/jrasCJyIWe
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) July 20, 2020
Carlson is the eighth defenseman in NHL history to hold a 10 point lead over the next highest scoring defenseman and a 20 point lead over the third highest scoring defenseman and the first since Erik Karlsson (Ottawa) in 2011-12. Karlsson won the Norris Trophy that season.
Carlson’s 1.09 points per game this season were the highest total by a defenseman since Ray Bourque, Al MacInnis and Sergei Zubov in the 1993-94 season. As the highest scoring defenseman, Bourque won the Norris Trophy that season. Only 13 other defensemen in NHL history have recorded at least 1.09 points per game in a single season after playing 69 games. Nine of the 13 defensemen have won the Norris Trophy in their career. Carlson was the only defenseman this season to average 1.09 points per game. The last time only one defenseman averaged at least 1.09 points per game in a single season was 1988-89 (Paul Coffey: 113 points in 75 games). He became one of five defensemen to reach the 70 point mark in 59 or fewer games in the last 30 years.
“Thinking about something, working at it and seeing it fulfilled is a pretty cool achievement for me.”
Carly joined @VogsCaps to discuss being named a finalist for the Norris Trophy. #Johnny4Norris pic.twitter.com/5xexiQn2Nl
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) July 20, 2020
This season, Carlson was on pace for 89 points over an 82-game season. Only nine defensemen in NHL history have recorded 89 points in a season (Coffey: eight times; Bobby Orr: six times; Bourque: four times; Denis Potvin: three times; MacInnis: twice; Phil Housley, Brian Leetch, Gary Suter and Zubov: each once). Carlson’s 89 points would have been the highest by a defenseman since Bourque and Zubov in 1993-94 (Bourque: 91 points; Zubov: 89 points).
