Norris Trophy winner debated by NHL.com

The 2023-24 NHL season begins Oct. 10 with a tripleheader on ESPN. To celebrate the start of the season, NHL.com writers and editors are debating who they think will win some of the League's major awards. Today, the Norris Trophy, presented annually "to the defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-around ability in the position." The winner is selected in a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers Association at the end of the regular season.

Of all the awards handed out last season, one of the most lopsided races came in this category, with Erik Karlsson, then of the San Jose Sharks, winning it. He received 123 of a possible 196 first-place votes and 1,585 voting points after his 101-point season (25 goals, 76 assists) made him the sixth different defenseman in NHL history and first since Brian Leetch in 1991-92 to have a 100-point season (102).

But this is a new season, and Karlsson is now in Pittsburgh. Can he repeat or will someone else take home the hardware this season? 

Here is who our writers and editors picked to win the Norris:

Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres

Dahlin is coming off a breakout season; he had an NHL career-high 73 points (tied for fifth among defensemen), and plus rating (plus-12) for the first time in his five seasons. Buffalo has the longest active Stanley Cup Playoff drought (12 seasons), which could finally end this season given the Sabres' potent offense (3.57 goals per game last season; third in NHL), a full season of promising rookie goalie Devon Levi and also the rest of their elite prospect pool. Dahlin, the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, earned plenty of recognition for his two-way play last season, and leading the Sabres back to the postseason could create an overwhelming narrative to gain him more votes than the rest of the field. -- Pete Jensen, director, senior fantasy editor

Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars

Heiskanen finished seventh in the Norris Trophy voting last season after more than doubling his previous NHL high in points with 73 (11 goals, 62 assists) in 79 games. His previous best was 36 points (five goals, 31 assists) in 70 games in 2021-22. This could be the year for the 24-year-old, who finished third in assists and tied for fifth in points among all NHL defensemen in 2022-23. He also was sixth in the NHL in average ice time per game (25:29) as coach Peter DeBoer usually has his star defender on the ice against the League's best players. Heiskanen said he worked on improving his shot in the offseason, and that should only help boost his chances to be named the best defenseman in the NHL. -- Mike G. Morreale, staff writer

Roman Josi, Nashville Predators 

A strong case can be made that Josi should have won the Norris in 2021-22, when he had 96 points (23 goals, 73 assists), but he was beaten out by Makar, who had 86 points. Josi missed the final 15 games of last season because of a concussion, which likely cost Nashville a spot in the playoffs (it finished three points behind Winnipeg for the second wild card in the Western Conference), but still finished with 59 points. He said he is 100 percent healthy, and should have a big season for Nashville, which has a new coach in Andrew Brunette, and added forward Ryan O'Reilly and defenseman Luke Schenn, who is likely going to be Josi's defense partner. I think Josi is one of the most underrated players in the NHL, and I expect him and the Predators to have a monster season that will put him in the running for the Norris. -- Bill Price, VP, Editor-in-Chief

Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche 

Makar won the Norris Trophy in 2021-22 and was one of the finalists last season despite being limited to 60 games because of injuries. The 24-year-old still had 66 points (17 goals, 49 assists) and was second in the NHL among defensemen in points per game (1.10) behind Erik Karlsson (1.23). Makar also tied Josh Morrissey of the Jets for second in the League among defensemen with six game-winning goals and led defensemen in averaging 26:23 in ice time per game to help injury-depleted Colorado (51-24-7) finish first in the Central Division. Imagine what he could've done if he was healthy. We, hopefully, will get a chance to see that this season and he could reclaim the Norris as a result. -- Tom Gulitti, staff writer

Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins

With the retirements of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, the Bruins' top two centers, the burden in Boston will fall to the defense. I believe it's up to the challenge. And, even more than that, I believe McAvoy will take his place among the NHL's best defensemen this season. He was overshadowed last year by Hampus Lindholm, who finished fourth for the Norris, but McAvoy has been in the conversation for years, finishing fourth in 2021-22 and fifth in 2020-21. Hampered by his late start to the season, coming off surgery, McAvoy still scored 52 points (seven goals, 45 assists) in 67 games, or .78 points per game, an improvement on the .72 he put up the previous season. With the defense that will be required of him, the on-ice leadership, and the maturation in his game at age 25, I think it's all lining up for McAvoy. -- Amalie Benjamin, staff writer