Norris Trophy Power Rankings: Fox continues to slide

Welcome to the fourth edition of theScore's Norris Trophy Power Rankings.

These rankings focus on analytics and the all-around ability of defensemen based on this season's results rather than just points or reputation.

• xGF% = the share of expected goals a team produces while a player is on the ice at five-on-five
• xGA/60 = expected goals against per 60 minutes at five-on-five
• GAR = goals above replacement-level player

5. Charlie McAvoy, Bruins

Previous rank: 4th

McAvoy is not as gifted offensively as some of the talented blue-liners who didn't crack the top five, but as we noted in the introduction, this is not a defenseman points leaders list. The Bruins are one of the league's best defensive squads, and McAvoy anchors their blue line.

The 24-year-old averages nearly four more minutes per game than any other player on the team, and he leads all qualified NHL defensemen in xGA/60. He also ranks second in xGF% behind Toronto's Rasmus Sandin, who plays primarily sheltered, third-pairing minutes. McAvoy is tasked with shutting down top lines each night, and he does so as well as anyone in the league.

While his offensive game wouldn't be considered dynamic, he's still on pace for nearly 60 points, which is nothing balk at.

4. Adam Fox, Rangers

Previous rank: 3rd

The reigning Norris winner is having another tremendous season, but he continues to slide on this list. Fox has gone from first in December, to third in January, to now fourth in February. It's mainly due to the strong play of the three players ahead of him, but not entirely.

Fox's xGF% has dropped under 50%, meaning the Rangers are now getting outplayed on the season when their No. 1 defenseman is on the ice at five-on-five. Since the last edition of these rankings on Jan. 6, his xGF% is 43.2%, which ranks 147th among 177 qualified blue-liners.

The Rangers as a team have been highly successful despite poor underlying numbers all season, but they've typically always been substantially better with Fox on the ice. But even in the last month, New York's xGF% as a team (45.1%) has been better than Fox's.

3. Aaron Ekblad, Panthers

Previous rank: 5th

Ekblad dropped from third in December to fifth in January, but a strong month has vaulted him back into the top three. Since the last edition of these rankings, he's produced 15 points in 14 games along with a 56.6 xGF%.

It's hard to believe Ekblad is only 25 years old, considering he's been in the league for eight years, but everything has truly come together for him in 2021-22. A rare blend of size (6-foot-4, 216 pounds), skill, and skating ability, the Panthers' workhorse is playing well enough that he probably would've made Team Canada if NHLers were still going to participate in the Olympics.

However, as great as Ekblad's been this season, the top two players on this list are in a tier of their own.

2. Cale Makar, Avalanche

Previous rank: 2nd

In the last edition of these rankings, we noted Makar was on pace for an astounding 44 goals. He's scored only four goals since then, which now puts him on pace for a tidy 35. And even in a cold goal-scoring month, he still produced 16 points in 15 games.

Bobby Orr and Paul Coffey are the only defensemen to ever score 40 goals in a season, so the fact that Makar is even in that realm - in this era - is still insanely impressive.

Even though Makar's goal-scoring prowess takes up most of the conversation, he's been exceptional at both ends of the ice. He ranks in the top 25 among defensemen in both xGF% and xGA/60.

1. Victor Hedman, Lightning

Previous rank: 1st

A defenseman hasn't won the Hart Trophy since Chris Pronger in 2000, but Makar and Hedman are both playing well enough this season to warrant some consideration for the league's MVP award.

Hedman has been slightly better than Makar, though. The Lightning stalwart posted 12 points in 11 games with a 58.6 xGF% since Jan. 6, and on the season, he ranks sixth among defensemen in xGF%.

We may be witnessing Hedman's best season right now - and that's saying a lot for a surefire future Hall of Famer. After a 2020-21 campaign in which he played through an injury, the 31-year-old Swede is proving he still possesses all the physical capabilities he did in his 20s, but he has that much more experience and smarts to go along with it.

There are so many young, talented blue-liners in the league right now, but Hedman is proving he's still the cream of the crop.

Honorable mentions: Roman Josi, Kris Letang, Devon Toews, Morgan Rielly

(Analytics sources: Natural Stat Trick, Evolving Hockey)