Why the Norris Trophy is Erik Karlsson's to lose

Forget the others considered to be Norris Trophy candidates, because the NHL's best defenseman plays for the Ottawa Senators.

This was proven once again in a showdown between the league's two top-scoring blue-liners Wednesday in San Jose, wherein Erik Karlsson stole the show.

Karlsson scored a goal and added two assists to put himself four points ahead of Sharks counterpart Brent Burns, who managed to score a goal of his own. Karlsson also saw more time shorthanded than on the power play, and added to his already stellar defensive numbers with a couple of blocked shots.

In short, there's a clear case to be made that Karlsson should win the Norris Trophy once again this year, and why he should be in the running - if not the frontrunner - for years to come.

In a league of his own, offensively

Not only is Karlsson on pace to lead all defensemen in total points, he's the only player at his position to average a point per game, placing him in a tie for fourth among all players with 27 points.

Only Connor McDavid (36), Nikita Kucherov (29), and Evgeni Malkin (28) have recorded more points, while Karlsson's 27-point peers include Sidney Crosby, Vladimir Tarasenko, Tyler Seguin, Phil Kessel, and Patrick Kane.

Decent company, to be sure.

Bigger picture: since entering the NHL in 2009-10, Karlsson has recorded 412 points, 65 clear of second-ranked Duncan Keith in defensive scoring during that span.

In short, he has no equal in this department, and there's great defensive value in keeping the puck away from one's own net through offensive ability.

No defensive slouch

But lest we believe the myth that Karlsson is strictly an offensive dynamo, his more traditionally defined defensive performance to date this season has been sensational.

Karlsson ranks second among all NHL players in total ice time, and - for those who care about the stat - has posted a plus-five rating for a Senators team that boasts a minus-one goal differential.

In terms of killing penalties, Karlsson has seen 63:13 of ice time, already the fourth-highest single-season amount of his career, while the Senators rank fifth as a team in this category.

The key to Karlsson's success has been head coach Guy Boucher's new strategic deployment of the Swede.

Shorter shifts at even strength allow Karlsson to conserve energy and be effective in all situations. And even with the increase in shorthanded ice time, Karlsson is basically at par in terms of shot attempts recorded for an against when he's on the ice, meaning he's not a liability and is incredibly effective at pushing the puck up the ice.

Additionally, he ranks first in blocked shots with 78, averaging 2.9 per game, up from the career-high 2.1 averaged last season. He also has been taking the puck away from the opposition more than most.

And of course, the Senators as a team are benefiting to the tune of a 16-9-2 record through 27 games, good for second place in the Atlantic Division.

Yes, there are other worthy Norris Trophy finalists, but it would be a shame if Karlsson is overlooked once again this year.