James Norris Memorial Trophy


The James Norris Memorial Trophy, or simply the Norris 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". It is named after James E. Norris, the longtime owner of the Detroit Red Wings. The James Norris Memorial Trophy has been awarded 61 times to 26 different players since its beginnings in 1953–54. 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. 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. Doug Harvey and Nicklas Lidstrom won the award seven times, and Ray Bourque won it five times. The Boston Bruins have had the most Norris Trophies winners with 14; the Montreal Canadiens have had the second most with 12.
Only two players have won both the Norris and Hart Memorial Trophy for the league Most Valuable Player in the same season: Bobby Orr, who won both trophies in the 1969–70, 1970–71 and 1971–72 seasons, and Chris Pronger, who won the Hart and Norris in the 1999–2000 NHL season. As of 2019, no defensemen has won the Hart Trophy without also winning the Norris Trophy, since its inception in 1953–54.
Six defensemen won the Hart Trophy as the league's most valuable player before the Norris Trophy's establishment: Herb Gardiner, Eddie Shore, Albert "Babe" Siebert, Ebbie Goodfellow, Tommy Anderson and Babe Pratt.
Save for Randy Carlyle, every Norris winner eligible to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame has been.
Members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association vote at the end of the regular season, and each individual voter ranks their top five candidates on a 10–7–5–3–1 point system. Three finalists are named and the trophy is awarded at the NHL awards ceremony after the conclusion of the playoffs.

Winners

SeasonWinnerTeamWin #
1953–54Detroit Red Wings1
1954–55Montreal Canadiens1
1955–56Montreal Canadiens2
1956–57Montreal Canadiens3
1957–58Montreal Canadiens4
1958–59Montreal Canadiens1
1959–60Montreal Canadiens5
1960–61Montreal Canadiens6
1961–62New York Rangers7
1962–63Chicago Black Hawks1
1963–64Chicago Black Hawks2
1964–65Chicago Black Hawks3
1965–66Montreal Canadiens1
1966–67New York Rangers1
1967–68Boston Bruins1
1968–69Boston Bruins2
1969–70Boston Bruins3
1970–71Boston Bruins4
1971–72Boston Bruins5
1972–73Boston Bruins6
1973–74Boston Bruins7
1974–75Boston Bruins8
1975–76New York Islanders1
1976–77Montreal Canadiens1
1977–78New York Islanders2
1978–79New York Islanders3
1979–80Montreal Canadiens2
1980–81Pittsburgh Penguins1
1981–82Chicago Black Hawks1
1982–83Washington Capitals1
1983–84Washington Capitals2
1984–85Edmonton Oilers1
1985–86Edmonton Oilers2
1986–87Boston Bruins1
1987–88Boston Bruins2
1988–89Montreal Canadiens1
1989–90Boston Bruins3
1990–91Boston Bruins4
1991–92New York Rangers1
1992–93Chicago Blackhawks2
1993–94Boston Bruins5
1994–95Detroit Red Wings3
1995–96Chicago Blackhawks3
1996–97New York Rangers2
1997–98Los Angeles Kings1
1998–99St. Louis Blues1
1999–2000St. Louis Blues1
2000–01Detroit Red Wings1
2001–02Detroit Red Wings2
2002–03Detroit Red Wings3
2003–04New Jersey Devils1
2004–05zzz2004–05 NHL lockout – No winner——
2005–06Detroit Red Wings4
2006–07Detroit Red Wings5
2007–08Detroit Red Wings6
2008–09Boston Bruins1
2009–10Chicago Blackhawks1
2010–11Detroit Red Wings7
2011–12Ottawa Senators1
2012–13Montreal Canadiens1
2013–14Chicago Blackhawks2
2014–15Ottawa Senators2
2015–16Los Angeles Kings1
2016–17San Jose Sharks1
2017–18Tampa Bay Lightning1
2018–19Calgary Flames1