Norris Not-So-Hopefuls: The Best of the Rest

Let's face it: Penning any article reviewing the top choices for this year's James Norris Memorial Trophy would not only be redundant but also a virtual waste of time, being that the conversation still starts (and ends) with Nicklas Lidstrom.

For our purposes, let's pretend the soon-to-be seven-time winner turned into Wade Redden this year and the rest of the league has a chance.

So, without further ado, here are the NHL's best rearguards of '08-'09.

Zdeno Chara, Boston

All right, so he's not the sexy pick that Mike Green or Mark Streit might be, but for those of us who are a little old-fashioned and still weigh defensive play over a powerplay quarterback, Chara's a tough pick to argue with.

Along with anchoring the blueline of the Eastern Conference's best team, he's among the league's elite in plus/minus (+23) and icetime (over 26 minutes).

He's a horse who has exponentially improved his skating since he broke into the league, and his physical presence is still a factor for those brave enough to mix it up in the corners with the big Czech.

Dennis Wideman, Boston

Did anyone see this coming, aside from maybe his mother? The season Wideman has put together rivals the best from anyone in hockey in any league this year, and he's a big reason for the Bruins' 100+ point year.

He's tops in the league at a +30 clip, and like his teammate Chara, he can play anytime, anywhere, whether it be even strength, with the man advantage, or on the PK.

Brian Rafalski, Detroit

You can argue that Rafalski doesn't log Dion Phaneuf-type icetime, but come the postseason, he's undoubtedly going to be north of 25 minutes and probably closer to 30.

Bearing that in mind, Rafalski has been one of the top powerplay defensemen in the league while not possessing the erratic streak on the back end that his fellow point getters such as Green and Streit do.

Mike Green, Washington

64 points in 60 games.

16 powerplay goals.

Oh yeah, he's also +23 and spending close to 26 minutes on the ice every night. Using numbers to define a defenseman is a recipe for disaster, but Green's case, no amount of intangibles could cause us to overlook what he's been able to do on the stat sheet.

Mark Streit, New York Islanders

One can only speculate how badly the Canadiens' front office feels about letting this one get away. Streit is almost inexplicably +8 on the worst team in hockey while being out there 25+ minutes per.

In addition, he's managed to guide the Isles' powerplay that includes names like Frans Nielsen and Josh Bailey to a respectable 17.5 percent clip. Case closed.

Jay Bouwmeester, Florida

When the conversation of young defensemen comes up, is there any more suitable answer than the big, smooth-skating Panther?

Without Bouwmeester, Florida isn't sniffing the playoffs and his already sound offensive game is only going to improve in the future.

Given Dion Phaneuf's abysmal year, Bouwmeester has to be the consensus choice as the best young blueliner in the game.

Duncan Keith, Chicago

Keith's got some offensive chops, as evidenced by his 38 points, but Brian Campbell he isn't—which, strangely, is exactly why he made this list.

Where the casual fan sees Campbell seemingly effortlessly glide up and down the ice, true hockey people notice Keith, whose steadfast defensive play has him leading the Hawks in icetime (25:32) and among the league leaders in plus/minus (+27).

Campbell's powerplay prowess will probably always overshadow Keith's heady game, but be certain about one thing: Duncan Keith is the best defenseman in Chicago.

Dan Boyle, San Jose

Any powerplay unit that features Joe Thornton is going to be a good one; that's a given. But one of the biggest ingredients in the Sharks ferocious unit is none other than Dan Boyle, whose hands, stride, and ability to read the ice on the rush solidify him among the class of the NHL defensemen.

Certainly, he's cooled down since his red-hot start, but as San Jose looks ahead to the postseason, Boyle's experience will be a key ingredient in making (or breaking) their hopes for Lord Stanley's prize.

Chris Pronger, Anaheim

Clearly, the 2008-'09 campaign hasn't exactly panned out according to plan for the Anaheim Ducks. They've had their Conn Smythe-winning goaltender uprooted out of nowhere, Scott Niedermayer's sitting at -15, by far a career worst, and are in very serious danger of missing the playoffs altogether.

Even with all that, we can't forget that Chris Pronger can still brutalize his opponents physically and make things happen on the other end.

He's been playing playoff-type minutes all year (pacing the league at over 27 minutes per), and if the Ducks are to make a push for one of the last two Western Conference playoff spots, he's only going to be logging more.

Andrei Markov, Montreal

With the Montreal Canadiens in free-fall and the front office making wild swings at making something click (see: Mathieu Schneider trade), it's easy to forget the kind of season Markov is having.

The Russian currently sits at third in the league with 28 powerplay assists and second among defensemen with 55 total points. It's just too bad nobody else on the Habs seems to enjoy or really, for that matter, even care about playing hockey.

Egregious Omissions

Dion Phaneuf, Calgary: When he's on his game, there's no doubt he cracks the aforementioned list, and while at the end of the day he's still the undisputed No. 1 defenseman on a division-leading club, his play doesn't justify being placed ahead of any of the others.

Scott Niedermayer, Anaheim: See above.

Sheldon Souray, Edmonton: He's a big, physical guy with a cannon from the point, and Oilers fans will no doubt scoff at his exemption. Heck, maybe he should be on there. Tough call.

Brian Campbell, Chicago: On the bubble.