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Buffalo Sabres History: Norris Trophy Winners

By Melissa Kania |

The National Hockey League will hold its annual year-end awards ceremony this year on June 24 in Las Vegas. The league will celebrates its top players in both on-ice and off-ice performances, rewarding representatives from the top scorers to the best goaltenders and everything in between. As the NHL continues to announce its nominees for the yearly awards, we’ll take a look back at the history of each award and when – if ever – a member of the Buffalo Sabres franchise has won it.

Some of these awards have been given out for 90 years, while others are newer. Regardless, it’s a true honor for any player to receive these awards.

Today, we’ll look at the NHL’s James Norris Memorial Trophy.

The James Norris Memorial Trophy is annual presented to the greatest all-around defenseman in the National Hockey League. The winner is selected via poll of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association.

The award was first presented in 1954 in memory of James Norris, former owner-president of the Detroit Red Wings.

The first-ever winner of the Norris Trophy was Detroit defenseman Red Kelly; Montreal blueliner Doug Harvey then took it seven out of the next eight seasons.

This is one award that, surprisingly enough, has never been won by a member of the Buffalo Sabres organization.

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    • Throughout history, several players have won the Norris Trophy multiple times in their careers. The player that stands out the most is Bobby Orr, who won it for eight consecutive seasons from 1968 until 1975.

    Doug Harvey and Nicklas Lidstrom have each won the award seven times, while Raymond Bourque won it five times. Chris Chelios, Paul Coffey, Pierre Pilote and Denis Potvin each won it three times.

    In terms of recent wins or NHLers still in action, Duncan Keith leads the way with a pair of Norris Trophy wins. Keith won it last year, having also previously won it in 2010.

    Buffalo Sabres defenseman Tyler Myers received one vote for the Norris Trophy after the 2010-11 season. He was the last Buffalo Sabres player to receive a vote for the award.

    Myers also received six votes for the Norris Trophy after the 2009-10 season, finishing 15th in voting overall.

    This year, two of the three nominees for the NHL’s Norris Trophy have previously won it. P.K. Subban has won it once (2013), while Erik Karlsson took it in 2012. Drew Doughty would be a first-time winner if he is indeed selected for the honor.

    Next: Sabres' Calder Trophy Winners

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