So he can get a norris nomination because imo he's a top3 defender in this league
I think Lids is definitely top three in the league but I'm not sure it'll happen. Unfortunately it's the same problem he's had working against him his whole career--how boring his game is. The quality of Lidstrom's defense is measured mostly by the things that don't happen.
How many times in his career have you seen Lids get absolutely undressed the way the other top Dmen do from time to time? Pronger, Niedermayer, Chara. All those guys have been on the wrong end of highlight-reel deked out of his jockstrap kinds of plays. It's hard to think of Lids being on the wrong end of many of those in his whole career.
With Lidstrom it's sound positioning, a great stick (even I get tired of hearing announcers talk about his quick stick), tremendous hockey sense. There's no devastating hits, no cannon of a slapshot, no crazy Mike Green play like a forward kind of rushes. So if he's not scoring a bunch of points, it's easy for people to dismiss the quality defense he's playing, in spite of the fact that when Lids is on the ice, the puck just doesn't end up in the Wings net as much, no matter the situation.
I'd love to see him at least nominated this season, but it wouldn't surprise me if it didn't happen. Doughty, Keith, and unfortunately Green, will probably get the nods. And I think people are talking about Pronger lately too.