Adam Fox Named Winner of Norris Trophy for 2020-21 Season

The National Hockey League announced today that Rangers defenseman Adam Fox has been named the winner of the Norris Trophy for the 2020-21 season.
The James Norris Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the "defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position." Fox becomes the fourth Ranger to win the Norris Trophy since it was first presented in 1953-54, joining Doug Harvey (1961-62), Harry Howell (1966-67), and Brian Leetch (1991-92 and 1996-97). In addition, Fox becomes only the second defenseman in NHL history to win the Norris Trophy in one of his first two seasons in the league, joining Bobby Orr (Orr won the award in his second NHL season in 1967-68). Fox also becomes the fourth American defenseman in NHL history to win the Norris Trophy, joining Rod Langway* (1982-83 and 1983-84), Chris Chelios (1988-89, 1992-93, and 1995-96), and Leetch (1991-92 and 1996-97).

Fox skated in 55 games with the Rangers this past season, registering five goals and 42 assists for 47 points, along with a plus-19 rating and 14 penalty minutes. He led NHL defensemen in assists, ranked second in points and power play assists (21), tied for second in power play points (23), ranked third in takeaways (38), ranked 11th in average ice time (24:42), and tied for 16th in plus/minus rating in 2020-21. Fox was the first NHL defenseman who led all defensemen in assists in one of his first two seasons in the league since Sergei Zubov in 1993-94; he and Zubov are the only NHL defensemen who have outright led NHL defensemen in assists while in one of their first two seasons in the league since 1925-26. Fox was the only NHL player who logged at least 200:00 of power play ice time and at least 140:00 of shorthanded ice time in 2020-21. Among the 49 NHL defensemen who logged at least 115:00 of shorthanded ice time during the season, Fox ranked ninth in power play goals against per 60 minutes of shorthanded ice time (5.45).
Fox was named the Rangers' Most Valuable Player and was selected as the winner of the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award this past season. He became the fourth defenseman in franchise history to average at least 0.75 assists per game in a season (min. 10 games played), joining Brian Leetch (four times), Brad Park, and Sergei Zubov, and he became the first Rangers defenseman to do so since Leetch in 1995-96. Fox also became the eighth defenseman in franchise history to average at least 0.85 points per game in a season (min. 10 games played), joining Leetch (nine times), Park (four times), Ron Greschner (four times), Zubov (twice), Reijo Ruotsalainen (twice), James Patrick (twice), and Barry Beck, and he became the first Rangers defenseman to do so since Leetch in 2000-01.
\Langway was born in Taiwan but is of American nationality*