from Bob McKenzie of TSN,

For obvious reasons, my super savvy expert panel has to remain anonymous, but I can tell you that I ended up with 21 participants, roughly split into three groups — some NHL head coaches, some NHL general managers and some Hockey Hall of Famers. If you saw the names, trust me, you'd be impressed. I know I was.

So here are the four questions I put to them and a summation of how they collectively answered:...

Should playing on a non-playoff team disqualify a defenseman from winning the Norris Trophy?

No 13
Yes 8

While the majority of the blue-ribbon panel said a non-playoff year shouldn't preclude Norris consideration, many of the 13 respondents did say it could and should be some factor in their voting, and that it would have to be taken on a case-by-case basis.

It is worth pointing out that many Doughty supporters will cite this as a reason why the Kings' defenceman is a better choice this season than Ottawa's Karlsson, though it must be noted that in voting last year, even though Karlsson won the Norris, Doughty had more first-place votes in a season in which the Kings didn't make the playoffs.

And while the majority answered no to this question, it was by no means overwhelming. Eight of those voted yes, playoffs matter, and were adamant that to win a major award the player needs to lead his team to the playoffs.

Who is your choice for the Norris Trophy: Drew Doughty or Erik Karlsson?

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