About time for sure. Glad to see they actually awarded it to the ""defenseman" who plays both ends of the rink. Doughty controls all 3 zones like no other defender in the game.
Looking at the votes, hot dog Karlsson yet again got the most second place votes (54 vs 34) but was killed in the first place votes this time (93-46, over twice as many for Doughty).
I hate that Karlsson was seriously considered for this 3rd Norris. He finished the season with a -2 (+/-), his team didn't make the Playoffs in the East, AND he doesn't even play on their Penalty Kill.
He's basically a 4th forward at that point.
I remember Puck mentioned that Doughty actually had more 1st place votes last year too, but Karlsson raked in the #2 votes to take down the overall win. No one really talks about that though, just that he had better defensive numbers than when he won it last year.
Unfortunately, the Norris spikes Doughty's price in 2 years, so I can see the Kings having to pay out the A$$ when the time comes (As if they wouldn't have had to anyway). Kopitar and Doughty will be our Kane and Toews and we won't be able to keep anyone else.
But Doughty deserved to take it down, so good for him.
If not Doughty then should be Burns next. I loved watching him in Minnesota, now I can't route for the guy based on the team he currently plays for but he can change the game on both ends of the ice. Not as good defensively as Doughty, but he can crush people. Seems like he has gotten away from that a little bit of late and been more offensive, but I would much rather have him on my team that Karlsson.