Ryan Suter for Norris: Is it Possible?

But is Ryan Suter really in a position to be considered? Is it even possible he could win the Norris?

The Numbers

Goals: 2 - Not great, but not terrible. PK Subban leads d-men with seven.

Points: 23 - second in the NHL. Kris Letang leads with 28.

TOI /G: 27:20 - Leads NHL. Second is Erik Karlsson, who will not play the rest of the season.

The Dream

The dream would be that all that matters in this decision is the performance on the ice, and that each voter in the PHWA would review tape and be fully informed before making their decision. The dream would be that Suter would be considered on his merits, and not on the reputation of the team or what division they play in. The dream would be that NHL awards were awarded to the player who most deserved them, and not to the player that is "represented" by the largest contingent of PHWA writers.

The fact is, it is likely just a dream.

The Reality

As mentioned above, the Norris Trophy is voted on by the PHWA, the same organization that decided Ian Laperierre deserved the Masterton Trophy in 2010. The same Laperierre that spent his career leveling cheap shots, getting suspended, and doing more damage to his fellow NHLers than the Department of Player Safety Jokes. This is the player that the PHWA deemed worthy of an award that has sportsmanship as one of the qualifications.

To be fair, this is not an indictment of the entire PHWA. There are a number of very smart people in the organization. The problem really comes from the distribution of the members, with there being a number of writers who simply don't watch much Western Conference hockey, and those that do only watch the games on NBCSN. This limits their ability to make the right choice, and they vote based on what they do know. Fans howl "East Coast Bias," but it is actually just ignorance to the league as a whole.

Much like when Americans vote in November, a blind choice is made based on comfort zones, and no one is happy about it.

Given the situation right now, the favorite has to be Kris Letang, as he has better numbers, and plays in a market that the majority of PHWA members pay attention to. If it is anyone other than Letang or Suter, someone needs to share whatever it is they brought home from Vancouver, because parking on the grass is not cool.

If Ryan Suter is going to be the Norris Trophy winner, he will need to make it so plainly obvious that he should that no one can have the slightest question, otherwise the voters will go to their safe place, vote the players they watch, and history will simply repeat itself.

Does Suter deserve serious consideration? Yes. Will he get serious consideration? Not until the Wild as an organization earn the right to not be judged by what Jacques Lemaire did here ten years ago.