After record-setting season, Sharks’ Karlsson is named Norris finalist

After a record-setting 101-point season, Erik Karlsson, as expected, was named a finalist for the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s best defenseman on Thursday.

Karlsson, in his fifth full season with the San Jose Sharks, had 25 goals and 76 assists, both career-highs, as he became the first NHL defenseman in 31 years to record more than 100 points in a season.

Karlsson also averaged 25:37 in ice time per game to lead the Sharks as he played a full 82-game for the first time since 2015-16 when he was with the Ottawa Senators.

Also voted as finalists for the Norris by members of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association were Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche and the New York Rangers’ Adam Fox. Makar won the award last season and Fox was the winner in 2021 under Sharks coach David Quinn.

The NHL Awards show is on June 26 in Nashville.

This is the fifth time in Karlsson’s 14-year NHL career that he has been named a Norris finalist, as he won the award in 2012 and 2015. Only eight defensemen have won the award three times since the trophy was first handed out after the 1953-54 season.

Karlsson was also a finalist in 2016 and 2017. He finished second in voting both years, first to Drew Doughty of the Los Angeles Kings and then to former Sharks defenseman Brent Burns.

The last defenseman to score 100 points or more in a season was former New York Rangers blueliner Brian Leetch, who had 102 in 1991. Bobby Orr, Paul Coffey, Al MacInnis, Brian Leetch, and Denis Potvin are the only other defenseman to reach the century mark in points.

Karlsson was also fourth in the NHL among all skaters in even strength points with 74, trailing only Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon (77), Boston’s David Pastrnak (76), and Edmonton’s Connor McDavid (75).

Fox had 72 points, finishing eighth in the league among all defensemen, in 82 games. Makar, who was injured for parts of the season, had 66 in 60 games for the Avalanche this season.