Poll: Who will win the 2012 Norris Trophy?

As mentioned earlier, the NHL has named Boston’s Zdeno Chara, Nashville’s Shea Weber and Ottawa’s Erik Karlsson as the three finalists for the James Norris Memorial Trophy.

It’s an interesting candidate list in that Chara’s won a Norris before (2009), Weber’s been nominated (2011) while Karlsson is the decided newbie of the group — this is the 21-year-old’s first-ever candidacy.

Some things to consider:

– The Norris is voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association.

– This year will mark just the fourth time since 2001 the Norris will go to someone other than Nicklas Lidstrom.

– Chara has a chance to enter rarefied air with a second win. Only 11 defensemen in NHL history have captured multiple Norris Trophies: Lidstrom, Larry Robinson, Denis Potvin, Bobby Orr, Doug Harvey, Pierre Pilote, Chris Chelios, Rod Langway, Ray Bourque, Paul Coffey and Brian Leetch.

– FYI on Karlsson being nominated at 21 years old: In 1967-68, Orr became the youngest winner ever (20 years, three months). In 2009-10, Drew Doughty (20 years, four months) became one of the youngest nominees ever, but lost out to Duncan Keith.

– Chara is the third Bruin in franchise history to win a Norris (Orr and Bourque were the others. No Predator or Senator has ever won one.

Poll