Shea Weber For Norris? Excuse Me?
January 9th, 2009, 2:02 pm
In his recent column for TSN Scott Cullen hands out midseason NHL honors and got some right, including the Calder to Blue Jackets rook Steve Mason, but I must take exception to his choices for Norris. Extreme exception. Does he know there’s hockey on the West Coast?
Picking Shea Weber to win the Norris is sooooo October, Mr. Cullen. Have you taken a look at his recent numbers?
SHEA WEBER (Last 20 games): 2 goals 6 assists -4
Eight points and a -4. Those are pretty average, let’s be honest. By that standard, then Adrian Aucoin (7 points and +2) and Michal Rozsival (7 points +2) should be in the conversation, no? I know, I’m being an #$%hole. Weber got off to a blazing hot start, posting 21 points and a +10 in his first 20 games…Will the real Slim Weber please stand up? He’s come back down to earth people. Norris Trophy. Please…..When looking at a Norris winner, don’t you have to factor the success of the overall club? The Preds with Weber are hanging on to thin playoff dreams and only six points ahead of lowly St. Louis. Get some recent stats, Mr. Cullen.
Here is the look of a Norris winner. Dan Boyle. He has more points than Weber, a better +/- than Weber, and he has changed the outlook for a franchise overnight. Has Boyle slacked off in his last 20 games? I beg your pardon.
DAN BOYLE (Last 20 games): 6 goals 10 assists +2
Those are way better numbers than Weber’s. Come on people. Dan Boyle, if he stays healthy, should walk away with the Norris. The numbers don’t lie.
Sharks are saying all the right things going into tonight’s battle in Edmonton. I’m not super confident, given Rolo’s success against the Sharks and the effort on Tuesday, but I expect the Sharks to come out and prove a point. Time after time they have answered the bell. Let’s see them do it again.
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I think the Norris trophy is still wide open and both Boyle and Weber would be candidates along with Pronger, Lidstrom, Campbell, Rafalski, Chara and Mike Green if he remains healthy the rest of the season. Dennis Wideman (27pts, +24) probably deserves consideration as well but unfortunately won’t get any.
I don’t think Weber would be a bad choice (he has put up good numbers for a sub-par team, not an elite team like San Jose) but probably wouldn’t be my choice. An argument for Weber over Boyle is Weber has more even strength points (20 vs 15). But like I said above, I don’t think there is a clear cut Norris winner yet.
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Weber isn’t a bad choice- it’s just funny how the tie or the close race always seems to go to the guy on the more eastern team.
Speaking of good defensemen in the west, I don’t think Sheldon Souray is getting nearly enough juice. 14 PP points and still even on a bad team.
By the end of the year, Weber won’t even be nominated. It will be Lidstrom, Boyle and Green. Want to make a bet, Mike?
The Norris is always misleading because they always favour those that put up good offensive numbers instead of really taking into considering defensive play. Mike Komisarek is a guy who is fantastic in his own zone but because doesn’t put up offensive numbers doesn’t get any consideration at all.
However, my vote goes to Dan Boyle. For once he is going to get recognition for his play. There wasn’t enough spotlight in Tampa to include him along with the Big Three.
First of all, I agree with you- a lot of value is put on offensive numbers.
That being said, Komisarek isn’t that great of an example, he’s 322nd in even strength goals against per 60 minutes of ice time. Not that EVGA/60 is the be-all-end-all, but there are plenty better, at least this year. Among those a lot better: Keith, Seabrook, Chara, and Willie Mitchell.