John Matisz

I would say like if we're thinking about it from the perspective of a guy with that many puck touches a game is bound to make some mistakes, especially when you're playing with

Someone like Connor McDavid, you're trying to feed him off the rush a lot and making some risky passes, if we're being honest.

A lot of stretch passes and then even pinching in the offensive zone, maybe when you wouldn't normally because you've got McDavid to work with and cycle and give and go with.

So it's almost circumstantial in some ways.

I wonder if Evan Bouchard was elsewhere, if we'd be talking about him differently.

Obviously, we don't know because he's only played for one team.

But to answer your question, I would say that, like, in general, the hockey world is probably a little too hard on the guy.

But that said, like, there are some, you know, premier defensemen that wouldn't put on tape the amount of, shall we call them, egregious turnovers that Bouchard does in a season.

So it's like, the way that I look at the Norris is, in the definition, it talks about greatest all-around defense

So, like, that tells me not necessarily that, like, the defensemen have to be a 50-50 offensive-defensive, but, like, if you're going to be way more offensive, which I would say Bouchard is, even though his defense is fine, he's way more leaning in the offensive way, you have to have, like, a real, like, anomaly-type season like Eric Carlson did a few years ago.

And don't get me wrong, like, Bouchard's right there.

But with so much under-competition from guys who, you know, really...

embody that all-around description, I find it hard to put him above Orenski and Dolly and Insider.

Right now, I haven't done my ballot, but I'm going to assume I'll end up having Bouchard somewhere around four, five, maybe three.

Yeah, thanks for having me on, guys.