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St. Louis Blues: Three Reasons Why Alex Pietrangelo Will Win The Norris Trophy

By Jason Martin |
ST. LOUIS, MO - FEBRUARY 08: St. Louis Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (27) controls the puck ahead of Colorado Avalanche rightwing Nail Yakupov (64) during a NHL game between the Colorado Avalanche and the St. Louis Blues on February 08, 2018, at Scottrade Center, St. Louis, MO. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
ST. LOUIS, MO - FEBRUARY 08: St. Louis Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (27) controls the puck ahead of Colorado Avalanche rightwing Nail Yakupov (64) during a NHL game between the Colorado Avalanche and the St. Louis Blues on February 08, 2018, at Scottrade Center, St. Louis, MO. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Alex Pietrangelo has been the backbone of the St. Louis Blues ever since he dawned the “C” back in 2016. Pietrangelo was outstanding again in 2017 and led to more national recognition for his play on the ice.

St. Louis Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo is one of the leagues best defensive defenseman. However last year, Pietrangelo showed that he can contribute on both ends of the ice.

Pietrangelo was drafted fourth overall by the Blues back in 2008 and jumped right to the NHL, as most top 5 picks tend to do.It wasn’t until two years later during the 2010 season, when Pietrangelo played his first full year as a pro.

He would go on to only miss three games over the next two seasons while registering 94 points and 23 goals. However, it is not the offensives production that separates Pietrangelo from the rest of the league.

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Pietrangelo has only had a negative plus-minus one time in his career (2014-2015). His ability to shut down the opponents top line is what makes him so valuable for the Blues.

Last season, the NHL world took notice of just how good Pietrangelo is on both sides of the ice, representing the Blues at the All-Star game, he could make the jump to All-World status this year.

There are many different reasons why Alex could win the Norris trophy as the league’s best defenseman in 2019, but three things stick out more than the others.

1. Evelyn, Oliver, and Theodore

Alex, along with his wife Jayne, gave birth to triplets over the offseason. If this isn’t the biggest motivator to go out and play your you know what off, then I’m not sure you are completely human.

The babies came at a good time as well, the family was able to spend some quality time together before Alex started preparing for the upcoming season.

In all reality, this may be standard operating procedure for Pietrangelo in 2019, but knowing you’re playing for your kids, could lead to an increase in performance.

2. New Offseason Signings

The Blues brought in a lot of new faces offensively which will more than likely take the pressure of the Blues defensive core. Ryan O’Reilly is one of the best two-way players in the league and should help out on the defensive end for St. Louis.

The defensive core for the Blues in the first half showed signs of brilliance, leading the league in goals by defensemen for the majority of the first half, the increase in offense should lead to more scoring chances for Pietrangelo in 2019.

Two of the new signings that the Blues brought in over the offseason have put up stellar numbers in the faceoff circle. Tyler Bozak and O’Reilly both have had top-tier performances in that category.

Winning faceoffs is huge, and it will only help Pietrangelo’s offensive and defensive numbers when he is not chasing the puck in his own end.

3. Team Success

Historically, Norris Trophy winners have come from winning teams, whether or not this is one of the criteria that the voters use to decide the winner, I’m not sure. However, with the new additions coupled with the returning players for St. Louis, Pietrangelo should a catalyst on one of the best teams in the league.

Victor Hedman of the Tampa Bay Lightning was last season’s recipient of the Norris Trophy, the Lightning led the Eastern Conference in points with 113. Past winners like Brent Burns, Drew Doughty, and Erik Karlsson have all won the award playing for top of the league teams.

St. Louis will still have to prove that the new additions will translate to wins, but fans, media, and players around the league have all mentioned the Blues as a Stanley Cup contender. Pietrangelo should be able to meet the criteria of playing for a winning team.

Next. Western Conference Becoming More And More Difficult. dark

Pietrangelo was in contention for the Norris Trophy for much of the first half and it showed when he was chosen to represent the Blues at the All-Star game. The Blues captain should have an increase in productivity with the new roster, and hopefully, this means taking home more than one piece of hardware.

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