A couple of years back Miro Heiskanen the selection as the best defenseman of the year in the NHL could only be considered a matter of time.
Heiskanen had entered the NHL game at a fast pace, and below were the bubble elimination games of the corona era, where Heiskanen forged a handsome 26 power points in 27 games. Dallas, represented by Heiskanen, who came as high as third in the points market of the playoffs, only succumbed to Tampa Bay in the finals.
Heiskanen’s own stock was on a rocket-like rise. In three years, Heiskanen would seriously compete for the award named after James Norris, given to the best defender in the series, it was rumored.
The Norris window opened quickly, but is it also closing quickly?
Conscientiousness can be seen in one’s own area
The NHL world of the new age lives on individualism more strongly than ever before, just as it also lives on an unimaginable amount of individual skill. For example, Colorado Cale Makar and Vancouver Quinn Hughes have taken defenders’ puck play to a whole new level in just a couple of years – or should I say the previous decades Bobby Orr -level?
Makar, for example, is operating for the fourth season in a row with an average of over a point per game. For both of the aforementioned players, a hundred power points per season is completely realistic. The brilliance of Makar and Hughes is based on incredible skating skills, a sharp head, puck handling skills and an excellent shot. The duo’s game courage and daring is also at a downright brash level.
Miro Heiskasen also has almost all of the aforementioned qualities, if there are any differences. Where Heiskanen has to give a handicap to top individuals like Makari and Hughes is the quality of the shot and the desire to shoot and solve.
On the other hand, Heiskanen’s strength in relation to other stars is also built around this theme.
Miro Heiskanen is first and foremost a comprehensive puck defender. Of course, especially Quinn Hughes has improved in the past couple of years in his playing without the puck, but Heiskanen is overall ahead of many superstars.
While Makar and Hughes peek boldly, even brazenly behind every corner while looking for opportunities, Heiskasen always has one foot on the side of his own goal.
Heiskanen is not an individual athlete or an artist in the same way as the toughest scoring sharks in the league – and I still do not underestimate the hunger of others to win as a team. There is still some kind of cultural difference between Heiskanen and the rest of the top. Heiskanen has received a team-first upbringing, while many others come from a more individual-oriented North American model. Both better.
It’s kind of funny to think that Heiskanen won’t be in the Norris discussion this year. No, despite creating the fourth-fewest dangerous chances per hour played against him at five-on-five of any defender in the league (minimum 400 minutes played). The number of expected goals per hour played was the lowest against Heiska.
After all, isn’t the primary duty of a defender to defend?
If you look at Evolving-Hockey’s player cards, which give each player an individual value through versatile deep data through the added value they bring to the offensive and defensive game, and compare their contribution to the “replacement player”, Heiskanen dramatically subordinates almost the entire other orchestra.
When it comes to defense, Evolving gives Heiskanen a percentage ranking of 98 for the previous three years, which means that only two percent of the other players would be ahead of him.
Makari’s reading is 65, Hughes’s 69 and many top defenders even lower.
The statistics are only one part of the analysis, but in this case they are well supported by eye evidence. While Makari’s and Hughes’ offensive game ratings are around 97-98 percent, Heiskanen is at 83.
This practically closes the Norris window for Heiskas.
Limit raised to 100 points
When awarding the best defenseman award, the NHL does not value defense at all. The latest example of this was seen in the summer, when he reached 101 power points in San Jose’s throwing bag team Erik Karlsson won the award. Karlsson’s pursuit of points and avoidance of defensive play was at times hilarious to watch in games without stakes.
Even in the future, huge points are needed to win the award. Makar and Hughes are raising the level to 100 points. It is certain that, inspired by such players, there will be more Makars and Hugheses who will keep the bar high.
For Heiskanen, 100-point seasons are hardly an absolute value, and therefore the award will go around the Finn who plays a little more conscientiously in the future as well.
However, this is how the NHL works and it’s not worth talking about.
And that doesn’t change the fact that even if Heiskanen’s results are a bit lower compared to the top, overall top-level operation from night to night is widely appreciated. Ultimately, it’s about winning the biggest and fairest as a team. In that rally, winning individual matches is more important than individual power points.
In this regard, Heiskanen, who is currently at the top of the Western Conference, is in a pretty good position for spring and summer.
The story was updated at 17:01. It has been clarified that the statistics (created goals against Heiska and expected goals against Heiska) are specifically per hour played.
Stats: Natural Stat Trick