Tobias Enstrom Should Win the Norris

The Atlanta Thrashers have spent the last month plummeting down the standings and dropping point after point. There are three reasons for that: 1) I am not in the Atlanta locker room nightly rubbing my swag on Evander Kane's skates, 2) Ondrej Pavelec is playing more like Ondrej Pavelec and less like Mecha-Thomas (a mechanical Tim Thomas, in case that needed explanation), and 3) Tobias Enstrom is out. Now you may be wondering how the exit of a 5' 10" 180 pound defenseman can affect a team so greatly. If you are, say it out loud regardless of whatever setting you're in. Now that that's taken care of, here's why Enstrom is the most important defenseman in the NHL.

Dustin Byfuglien is the best offensive defenseman in the league (because he is a forward). Buff finds his scoring ability in his monster shot, his vision, and his responsible D-Partner who allows him to get all +'s of an OFD, and none the minuses- literally. For a while, Byfuglien and Ladd were the only two performing offensively on the team besides Enstrom. As a result, the team became complacent offensively due to their reliance on Big Buff. Teams have now keyed up on Byfuglien, and regardless, the Thrashers defenseman continues to play the same way. Only now, he can't score, and gets lots of minuses, because his stalwart partner isn't there. If Enstrom is there, he's like a security blanket that can not only defuse a Byfuglien error, but can also be the recipient of an outlet pass. Enstrom can do what Byfuglien can do offensively, for the most part, which then reduces the significance of the lock up on Byfgulien. With him out, Buff can't play D, or score. And if Buff can't score, then the Thrashers can't score. Hence, Tobias Enstrom is the most valuable defenseman of the season.

**Disclaimer***

Lidstrom will win because it's his last year and he's been outstanding. Arguably, Keith Yandle and Kris Letang are equally so, Yandle may even be more so. Regardless, it's Lidstrom's.