Erik Karlsson, arguably the best Swedish defenseman in the NHL and the captain of the Ottawa Senators, is a strong candidate to win his second consecutive Norris Trophy as the NHL’s best defenceman this year. While it is almost guaranteed that Karlsson will win the Norris, I also think he should get some serious consideration for the Hart Trophy as the league MVP. Although Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks and Braden Holtby of the Washington Capitals have been putting up dominant seasons themselves, I think that Karlsson should be getting more consideration, since he plays on a team currently outside the playoff picture and is putting up exceptional numbers.
Unlike the rest of the Senators defensemen, Karlsson’s transition and offensive creation are incredibly high, and he is also ahead of most Senators’ forwards in terms of creating scoring chances, with only Mike Hoffman and Mark Stone, two of the Senators’ best forwards, ahead of him. Among NHL defensemen, he is third with 5.2 chances per 20 minutes and 1.3 passes to the slot per 20 minutes, making him first in the league; and in successful passes to the slot, he is second only to the Nashville Predators Roman Josi.
Not only that, he also has exceptional stamina. He ranks third in the NHL in minutes played per game, after Drew Doughty (LA Kings) and Ryan Suter (Minnesota Wild). And unlike the two of them, who are on relatively good teams, Karlsson has to work twice as hard because his team is not as good.
On top of all this is that Erik Karlsson is in the league scoring race. Right now, after 65 games, he is fourth in the Art Ross race and first in the league in assists with 68 points in 65 games which is a pretty impressive feat, especially for a defenceman. Continuing at this pace, he should end up with 86 points in the 82-game full season. Since Brian Leetch got more than 85 points in the 1995-96 season, no defenseman has gotten more than 85 points – and that was in a higher-scoring era.
For these reasons, I think Erik Karlsson should at least get considered for the Hart Trophy. Aside from maybe one or two players, he is arguably the most dominant player in the NHL, and what is so amazing about this is that he is playing on a team outside of the playoff picture and still managing to put up these high totals.
Sources:
Allen, Kevin, and Jimmy Hascup. "Is Senators' Erik Karlsson Worthy of the Hart Trophy?" USA Today Sports. USA Today, 08 Feb. 2016. Web. 04 Mar. 2016.
Berkshire, Andrew. "How Erik Karlsson Is Making a Case for the Hart Trophy." Sportsnet.ca. Sportsnet Canada, 2 Dec. 2015. Web. 04 Mar. 2016.
Luszczyszyn, Dominik. "The Norris Isn’t Enough: Why Erik Karlsson Deserves to Win the Hart Trophy." The Hockey News. TVA Publications, 11 Jan. 2016. Web. 04 Mar. 2016.
