Welcome to another edition of the Hockeybuzz hotstove.
With what is considered to be the unofficial mid-way point of the season (all-star weekend) approaching, the hotstove shares its midseason picks for the Norris Trophy.
Todd Cordell: Kris Letang I'm going to go off the board a little with this one, and give it to someone who is not getting nearly enough recognition for how he's playing: Kris Letang.
The Penguins have been absolutely decimated by injuries this season, yet they are among the East's elite, and Letang is a big reason why.
Playing almost 26 minutes a game Letang has produced a lot of offense - 32 points in 39 games - while posting elite possession numbers in the process.
When he is on the ice Pittsburgh generates 55.5% of all shot attempts during 5 vs 5 play, but that number drops to 49.3% when he isn't on the ice.
His +6.2CF% relative to the team without him is the highest in the NHL among defensemen with 500+ 5 vs 5 minutes. That means Pittsburgh suffers a bigger drop in play without Letang than any other team does without their top defenseman.
He probably isn't one of the front runners at this point, but with the way he's played he'd be my choice.
Tim Chiasson: Mark Giordano He's been at the top of the league in points for defenders all year and he leads the top ten scoring defencemen in +/- - which is impressive considering the majority of them are on playoff teams. If it wasn't for Giordano's solid play the Flames wouldn't be sniffing around a playoff position.
Giordano has been great at both ends of the rink for a few years now but this one should be the season that he gets recognition for it.
Adam French: Shea Weber This question is pretty difficult for me because I'm an unapologetic Shea Weber fanboy. He never seems to get his due and is always the bridesmaid when it comes to this award. We have had some fantastic performances. Drew Doughty, Mark Giordano, John Carlson and Victor Hedman (had he not been injured) all come to mind, let alone Giordano and Weber's respective partners T.J. Brodie and Roman Josi. Weber is out there 26+ minutes a night eating up prime time. He is the best defenseman on a Preds team that continues to astound. He and Josi have really masked what is a rather fragile top-6 defense. Without him as the anchor, I doubt they have anywhere near the success they're having.
I'd really love this stupid myth that seems to permeate the internet about how Weber's play tanked when Ryan Suter left for Minnesota. Who started this thing? It's still bandied about, yet it's so far from the truth that it's painful. Thankfully he is having an All-Star...and dare I say it, Norris level season. 10 goals 30 points and still one of the best defenders in his own zone out there. For once he doesn't have to lead the Preds in scoring (still fourth) and it's nice to see. The Norris is basically about getting enough points for the media members to notice you and Weber hasn't had the supporting cast to really do that.
Plus the beard. Look at that beard and tell me that isn't a Norris winning beard. I want the Predators to go far in the playoffs just to see that beauty.
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