James Norris Memorial Trophy

This article is about the National Hockey League award. For the International Hockey League (1945–2001) award, see James Norris Memorial Trophy (IHL).

James Norris Memorial Trophy
Established	1953–54 NHL season
Current holder(s)	Nicklas Lidstrom
Awarded to the	top "defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position" in the National Hockey League[1]

The James Norris Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's top "defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position".^[1] The James Norris Memorial Trophy has been awarded 55 times to 23 different players since its beginnings in 1954. At the end of each season, members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association vote to determine the player who was the best defenseman during the regular season.

History

The trophy is named in honour of James E. Norris, owner of the National Hockey League's Detroit Red Wings from 1932 to 1952.^[1] The trophy was first awarded at the conclusion of the 1953–54 NHL season.

Bobby Orr of the Boston Bruins won the award for a record eight consecutive seasons (1968–75). Doug Harvey and Nicklas Lidstrom have won the award seven times, while Ray Bourque has won it five times during his career. The Boston Bruins have won the most Norris Trophies with 14. The Montreal Canadiens are second with 11.^[2]

There are only two players that have won both the Norris and Hart Memorial Trophy for the same season: Bobby Orr, who won both trophies for the 1969–70, 1970–71 and 1971–72 seasons, and Chris Pronger, who won the Hart and Norris for the 1999–2000 NHL season.^[3]

Seven different defensemen won the Hart Trophy before the Norris Trophy's establishment: Billy Burch, Eddie Shore (four times), Herb Gardiner, Albert "Babe" Siebert, Ebbie Goodfellow, Tommy Anderson and Babe Pratt.^[4]

The voting is conducted at the end of the regular season by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association, and each individual voter ranks their top five candidates on a 10–7–5–3–1 points system.^[5] Three finalists are named and the trophy is awarded at the NHL awards ceremony after the conclusion of the playoffs.

Winners

Brian Leetch, two-time winner.

Chris Pronger, one-time winner.

Scott Niedermayer, one-time winner.

Nicklas Lidstrom, seven-time winner.

Zdeno Chara, one-time winner.

  Player is still active

Season	Winner	Team	Win #
1953–54	Kelly, RedRed Kelly	Detroit Red Wings	1
1954–55	Harvey, DougDoug Harvey	Montreal Canadiens	1
1955–56	Harvey, DougDoug Harvey	Montreal Canadiens	2
1956–57	Harvey, DougDoug Harvey	Montreal Canadiens	3
1957–58	Harvey, DougDoug Harvey	Montreal Canadiens	4
1958–59	Johnson, TomTom Johnson	Montreal Canadiens	1
1959–60	Harvey, DougDoug Harvey	Montreal Canadiens	5
1960–61	Harvey, DougDoug Harvey	Montreal Canadiens	6
1961–62	Harvey, DougDoug Harvey	New York Rangers	7
1962–63	Pilote, PierrePierre Pilote	Chicago Black Hawks	1
1963–64	Pilote, PierrePierre Pilote	Chicago Black Hawks	2
1964–65	Pilote, PierrePierre Pilote	Chicago Black Hawks	3
1965–66	Laperriere, JacquesJacques Laperriere	Montreal Canadiens	1
1966–67	Howell, HarryHarry Howell	New York Rangers	1
1967–68	Orr, BobbyBobby Orr	Boston Bruins	1
1968–69	Orr, BobbyBobby Orr	Boston Bruins	2
1969–70	Orr, BobbyBobby Orr	Boston Bruins	3
1970–71	Orr, BobbyBobby Orr	Boston Bruins	4
1971–72	Orr, BobbyBobby Orr	Boston Bruins	5
1972–73	Orr, BobbyBobby Orr	Boston Bruins	6
1973–74	Orr, BobbyBobby Orr	Boston Bruins	7
1974–75	Orr, BobbyBobby Orr	Boston Bruins	8
1975–76	Potvin, DenisDenis Potvin	New York Islanders	1
1976–77	Robinson, LarryLarry Robinson	Montreal Canadiens	1
1977–78	Potvin, DenisDenis Potvin	New York Islanders	2
1978–79	Potvin, DenisDenis Potvin	New York Islanders	3
1979–80	Robinson, LarryLarry Robinson	Montreal Canadiens	2
1980–81	Carlyle, RandyRandy Carlyle	Pittsburgh Penguins	1
1981–82	Wilson, DougDoug Wilson	Chicago Black Hawks	1
1982–83	Langway, RodRod Langway	Washington Capitals	1
1983–84	Langway, RodRod Langway	Washington Capitals	2
1984–85	Coffey, PaulPaul Coffey	Edmonton Oilers	1
1985–86	Coffey, PaulPaul Coffey	Edmonton Oilers	2
1986–87	Bourque, RaymondRaymond Bourque	Boston Bruins	1
1987–88	Bourque, RaymondRaymond Bourque	Boston Bruins	2
1988–89	Chelios, ChrisChris Chelios	Montreal Canadiens	1
1989–90	Bourque, RaymondRaymond Bourque	Boston Bruins	3
1990–91	Bourque, RaymondRaymond Bourque	Boston Bruins	4
1991–92	Leetch, BrianBrian Leetch	New York Rangers	1
1992–93	Chelios, ChrisChris Chelios	Chicago Blackhawks	2
1993–94	Bourque, RaymondRaymond Bourque	Boston Bruins	5
1994–95	Coffey, PaulPaul Coffey	Detroit Red Wings	3
1995–96	Chelios, ChrisChris Chelios	Chicago Blackhawks	3
1996–97	Leetch, BrianBrian Leetch	New York Rangers	2
1997–98	Blake, RobRob Blake	Los Angeles Kings	1
1998–99	MacInnis, AlAl MacInnis	St. Louis Blues	1
1999–2000	Pronger, ChrisChris Pronger	St. Louis Blues	1
2000–01	Lidstrom, NicklasNicklas Lidstrom	Detroit Red Wings	1
2001–02	Lidstrom, NicklasNicklas Lidstrom	Detroit Red Wings	2
2002–03	Lidstrom, NicklasNicklas Lidstrom	Detroit Red Wings	3
2003–04	Niedermayer, ScottScott Niedermayer	New Jersey Devils	1
2004–05	zzz2004–05 NHL lockout No winner	—	—
2005–06	Lidstrom, NicklasNicklas Lidstrom	Detroit Red Wings	4
2006–07	Lidstrom, NicklasNicklas Lidstrom	Detroit Red Wings	5
2007–08	Lidstrom, NicklasNicklas Lidstrom	Detroit Red Wings	6
2008–09	Chara, ZdenoZdeno Chara	Boston Bruins	1
2009–10	Keith, DuncanDuncan Keith	Chicago Blackhawks	1
2010–11	Lidstrom, NicklasNicklas Lidstrom	Detroit Red Wings	7

See also

• List of National Hockey League awards
• List of NHL players
• List of NHL statistical leaders

References

General

• James Norris Memorial Trophy history at NHL.com
• James Norris Memorial Trophy history at Legends of Hockey.net

Specific

1. ^ ^{a b c} "James Norris Memorial Trophy history". NHL.com. http://www.nhl.com/trophies/norris.html. Retrieved 2007-08-16. 
2. ^ "James Norris Memorial Trophy history". canadianencyclopedia.com. http://thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0004100. Retrieved 2007-08-16. 
3. ^ "Blues trade Chris Pronger to Edmonton for three players including Brewer". NHL.com. http://www.nhl.com/news/2005/08/231732.html. Retrieved 2007-08-16. ^{[dead link]}
4. ^ "Hart Memorial Trophy history". NHL.com. http://www.nhl.com/trophies/hart.html. Retrieved 2007-08-16. 
5. ^ Dolezar, Jon (2003-04-20). "Foppa shows the most Hart". SI.com. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/jon_dolezar/news/2003/04/01/dolie_insider/. Retrieved 2007-08-17.