Erik Karlsson's in, and Drew Doughty's likely built up enough momentum in his campaign to hold down a Norris Trophy nomination, at least through the halfway point of the season.
So right now, the likes of John Klingberg, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Duncan Keith are splitting statistical hairs, jockeying for one final spot on the ultra-competitive Norris ballot.
But the position runs deeper than that, and two high-scoring, often forgotten blue-liners are building a case. Let's dive into whether Brent Burns or Justin Faulk may warrant a Norris nod.
On attack
Ranked first and second in goal-scoring among defensemen, the argument for both Burns and Faulk begins in the offensive zone. And it's a good place to start, as the last six Norris winners finished no worse than second in points.
Burns in particular had a truly historic first half, which goes well beyond his incredible 180 shots on goal - second only to Alex Ovechkin. With 18 goals (double that of Karlsson), the San Jose Sharks rover is on pace to score more goals than any defenseman in the last 30 years, and the eighth most all time in a single season. Only Paul Coffey, Bobby Orr, and, coincidentally, Sharks general manager Doug Wilson scored more than 35.
Burns trails Karlsson by five points, but with 18 goals and 12 first assists, he holds a slight edge in primary points.
Faulk, too, is having a career-best season in terms of scoring, but his mastery comes on the power play. He scored 12 of the Carolina Hurricanes' first 20 goals with the man advantage, requiring only 30 games to match the franchise record. And though he doesn't have a power-play goal in more than a month, he trails only Patrick Kane, by one, in that department.
His 32 points rank fifth among defensemen, but he's been in on a greater percentage of his team's goals than Klingberg and Ekman-Larsson, who are slotted third and fourth, respectively.
In defense
Faulk's scoring is limited, in part, to special teams because at even strength, his primary responsibilities fall elsewhere. He might be the only true top-four defenseman on the Hurricanes' roster, and while he has experience on his side in Ron Hainsey, the onus is on him to keep the opposition at bay, and in turn, keep his team competitive.
Faulk drives Carolina's commendable possession rate with his 25 minutes a night, and his three-zone contributions are entirely responsible for the team, against all odds, having crept into a postseason position.
Burns helps control shots at a similar rate, and like Faulk, needs the power play to prop up the fact the Sharks are outscored when he's on the ice at even strength despite an edge in shot attempts. He yields a negative with his high-risk, high-reward style, but his apparent volatility is overblown.
| Player | GF/60 | GA/60 | GF% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Faulk | 1.98 | 2.71 | 42.2 |
| Brent Burns | 1.83 | 2.29 | 44.4 |
Verdict
Burns is more than a niche player, but he likely has a better shot at earning a Norris nomination based on his idiosyncratic contributions. If he's able to keep pace with Karlsson, his defensive shortcomings will be cast aside.
But if it's importance to one's team that warrants consideration, Faulk leading the Hurricanes to an unlikely postseason appearance might see him second only to Karlsson and Doughty.
