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Boston Bruins: Why Charlie McAvoy deserved Norris Trophy nomination

By Sam Minton

Jun 7, 2021; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy (73) skates the puck during the third period of game five of the second round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the New York Islanders at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 7, 2021; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy (73) skates the puck during the third period of game five of the second round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the New York Islanders at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Hockey fans found out who has a chance to win the Norris Trophy in 2021 and Boston Bruins fans will notice that Charlie McAvoy’s name is missing.

The Norris is given out to the best defensemen in the NHL. It’s hard to say that McAvoy isn’t that.

Why Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy should have been nominated for the Norris Trophy

While McAvoy didn’t rack up the goals, he tallied 25 assists and a plus-minus of 22. He was someone that Bruce Cassidy could rely on and we have seen that in the playoffs. It seems rare to see McAvoy resting on the bench.

McAvoy is the future of Boston’s blueline. The fact that they moved on from Torey Krug and Zdeno Chara shows that they trust him to be the top guy. McAvoy has an average time on ice of nearly 27 minutes.

Even looking at the advanced statistics, McAvoy has been elite for the Bruins. His wins above replacement, even-strength offense, and performance on the penalty kill has been amazing.

Some of the nominees for the Norris are correct. Cale Maker or Adam Fox are likely to win the award after some amazing seasons.

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But the other nomination is appalling. How on Earth is Victor Hedman ahead of McAvoy.

Hedman is a very talented defenseman but 2021 wasn’t his best season. He struggled with injuries and had difficulty staying on the ice. It was one of the worst seasons of his career and McAvoy was much better.

To be fair McAvoy had a slim chance at winning the award but he deserved to be nominated. It seemed like Hedman was nominated just because he is a well known player. Players should have to earn their nomination and it doesn’t seem as though Hedman did that.

Luckily for McAvoy, this won’t be the last chance for him. The young defenseman has a long career ahead of him and by the end of it, he should have at least one Norris Trophy to his name. Bruins fans will also be hoping that he can add a Stanley Cup to his resume as well.

This offseason will be filled with lots of change for Boston. Key players such as David Krejci, Tuukka Rask, and Kevan Miller might have played their last games for the team.

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But McAvoy is not going anywhere and will be one of the best players on the Bruins roster for a long time.

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