Trophy Tracker: Karlsson, Morrissey leaders for Norris as top defenseman

To mark the halfway point of the 2022-23 regular season, NHL.com is running its third installment of the Trophy Tracker series. Today, we look at the race for the Norris Trophy, awarded annually to the top defenseman in the NHL as selected in a vote by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

Erik Karlsson began the season without a point in his first two games. He's since had had a point in 31 of 40 games and has gone once without getting a point in consecutive games.
The San Jose Sharks defenseman leads the position in goals (13), assists (42) and points (55) in 42 games and is on pace for a 100-point season, something not done by a defenseman since Brian Leetch had 102 with the New York Rangers in 1991-92.
Karlsson, who recently had a Sharks record 14-game point streak (two goals, 20 assists), was chosen by a panel of 14 NHL.com writers to win the Norris Trophy this season. It would be third time he's won, and first since 2014-15 with the Ottawa Senators. He could also top his NHL career highs in goals (21), assists (66) and points (82).
"I think I've been pretty consistent (throughout my career), and I feel like this year, maybe I feel a little bit better than I have in the past couple of years," Karlsson recently told "NHL Tonight."
During the point streak, Karlsson had at least one assist in every game, becoming the fifth defenseman in NHL history to do so, joining Paul Coffey (17 games, 1985-86), Leetch (15 games, 1991-92), Phil Housley (14 games, 1992-93) and Bobby Orr (14 games, 1970-71). Each is in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

"It means I'm playing with some other good players that are scoring some goals for me," Karlsson said. "It's one of those things where you can never do these things alone. I know we've had a tough go this year, but I think my teammates and the guys have done a really good job in staying motivated and coming to the rink every day."
Because of injuries, Karlsson, 32, hasn't played more than 56 games in a season since he was acquired by San Jose in a trade with Ottawa on Sept. 13, 2018. But now he's healthy, among the NHL leaders in ice-time per game (25:12), and still impressing teammates.

"You'd say no, but then there's nights when he does something and you're like, 'Where did that come from?'" Jaycob Megna, Karlsson's usual defenseman partner, said Dec. 22. "I'd like to think at this point he doesn't have any more tricks up his sleeve, but you never know on any given night. He's so talented and always seems to make the plays that a lot of guys can't even see."
Karlsson has 16 multipoint games this season, three with at least four points. That included his first NHL hat trick Nov. 1.
"He's special. He's unbelievable," Sharks coach David Quinn said Dec. 22 after Karlsson had four points. "You watch that guy out there, he's playing a video game. It's really amazing to watch him when he's on his game. He's had a [heck] of a year for us. ... He's really been everything you could want from a coaching standpoint. He's special, and it's not a mystery why he's won two Norris Trophies (2012, 2015) and I can see more Norris Trophies coming his way."
Voting totals (points awarded on a 5-4-3-2-1-basis): Erik Karlsson, Sharks, 54 points (7 first-place votes); Josh Morrissey, Winnipeg Jets, 46 (4); Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche, 36 (1); Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres, 35 (1); Adam Fox, Rangers, 18; Hampus Lindholm 13 (1); Roman Josi, Nashville Predators, 4; Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars, 3; Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings, 1