I still feel till this day that Vladdy Konstantinov got unjustly ignored for the Norris after having a plus-60 along with 14 goals in 95/96. Or the following season which saw him pot 38 points and a plus-38. Instead who gets the nod? Brian Leetch because he scored a league best 85 points, but had a mediocre plus/minus. I personally like my dmen gritty, that can excel at both ends of the ice, and be such an annoyance on the ice to other team's better players that they are thrown off their game due to frustration.
They need to make an award solely for defensive defensemen. Give the Norris to the league's top fourth forward, ahem, offensive blueliner.
I love the Detroit Red Wings so I share your sorrows. I miss Vladdy. He had such a tensity that was rarely matched when he was on the ice, and was so tenacious at shutting down the bigger stars on other teams. Aggitating everyone. He was so hated by opposing team players, but if you were a Red Wing or a fan of Detroit you loved the guy. I remember how he single handedly shut down the duo of Eric Lindros and John Leclair in the 97 Stanley Cup Finals. It was so hard not to have such great respect for the guy. That and I have a great deal of hatred towards the Philadelphia Flyers organization. Either due to Lindros or Bobby Clarke. Probably a little from column A and a little from column B. Point is he was Lindros and Leclair's 2nd shadow. Wherever they were on the ice, good ol' Vladdy was right in their faces. If I am not mistaken, both the Big E and Leclair finished that Final, a point a piece. Definitely made a strong case for himself for the Conn Smythe.
It's a shame that his career had to end prematurely at the tender age of 30. Probably would still be playing today had it not been for that limo incident.
