As we approach the end of the regular season, there will be plenty of conversation about which players deserve awards, but one of them is so clear cut there should be no debate: Erik Karlsson should run away with the Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman.
He is not only leading all blueliners in points, but the Ottawa Senators puck wizard is having a historic season -- one the NHL has not seen in the post 2004-05 lockout era. And despite his reputation as a risk-taker, an in-depth look at his play reveals his dominance goes beyond point production.
Let's look at how this season of Karlsson's matches up against some of the other recent greats: