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Roman Josi won the Norris Trophy. The Bernese talks about his competitors, previous winners and teammate.
On Tuesday night, Roman Josi was the first Swiss player to be voted top defender in the NHL. A great honor for the 30-year-old Bernese. The Norris Trophy is only awarded to the most well-rounded defensive players.
Josi’s thoughts after winning the award drifted to the former NHL greats. “It’s crazy that my name is now engraved on the trophy along with all the previous legends,” Josi told reporters who were online.
“Solid as a rock”
Roman Josi on fellow defender Ryan Ellis.
Keystone
The captain of the Nashville Predators highlighted Scott Niedermayer (winner in 2004), Chris Pronger (2000) or Chris Chelios (1989, 1993, 1996) by name. Josi had admired them when she was a child.
He surpassed Weber
With the Norris Trophy, Josi won an award that a former partner and model advocate (yet) has not been able to win: Shea Weber. The Swiss played with the Canadian during her early years in Nashville.
It’s rock solid and lets me play my game.
“Seeing him as a young player in training and then playing online with him on the ice – there is no better role model. I’m lucky to have played with him, ”Josi said of the current Montreal defender.
Josi’s current defense partner in Nashville is Ryan Ellis. The Bernese also praised him in higher tones: “He’s rock solid and lets me play my game. Half of this award belongs to him. He too would have deserved this trophy. “
It was affirmed against the 75-point man.
The NHL’s best defender pick of the 2019/20 season had turned into a three-way battle between Josi, John Carlson (Washington) and Victor Hedman (Tampa Bay). Carlson, who had scored 75 points in 69 qualifying games (Josi: 65), was long considered the favorite. In the end, however, Josi won the vote with 1499 points ahead of the American (1267 points) (Hedman: 820 points).
«John played a spectacular season. It is incredible how many points he has accumulated, ”says Josi. Nati’s defender said of Sweden’s Hedman, who won the Norris Trophy in 2018: “Victor could win this award every year.”
It feels so unreal.
But the 2020 winner is not Hedman, but Josi. And the award means a lot to the Nashville star: “Winning the Norris Trophy is a dream come true for me. It feels so unreal. “As a player, the ultimate goal is to win the Stanley Cup.” But on a personal level you try to be the best player you can be. “
