The Canucks’ Quinn Hughes, the Avalanche’s Cale Makar and the Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski are the 2024-25 Norris Trophy finalists for the NHL’s high defenseman, per a league announcement.
There are not any surprises on this triumvirate. Whereas it’s more likely to be a more in-depth race than Monday’s Vezina Trophy announcement, Makar’s the frontrunner after setting a brand new profession excessive with 30 objectives and 92 factors in 80 video games. Now a Norris finalist 5 occasions in six years to start his profession, the 26-year-old grew to become the primary rearguard since Mike Green in 2008-09 to hit the 30-goal mark. He was the primary to additionally eclipse 90 factors in the identical yr since Paul Coffey in 1988-89.
Makar’s defensive impacts additionally rebounded after a strikingly pedestrian 2023-24 season in his personal finish. He posted a 56.6 CF% at even power and a 59.4 xGF%, the latter standing as a career-high over a non-shortened season. He’s completed third in Norris voting the final two years after profitable the award in 2022, however he’s nearly definitely set to get again into the highest two.
If not for an indirect harm taking a chew out of his marketing campaign, Hughes would have extra of an opportunity to win back-to-back Norris Trophies for the primary time since Nicklas Lidström’s three-peat from 2006 to 2008. The 5-foot-10 lefty matched the 1.12 points-per-game charge that gained him the honors final yr and completed the yr with 16-60–76 in 68 video games, his fourth straight marketing campaign above the 60-assist mark. Hughes’ 25:44 time on ice per recreation trailed solely Werenski amongst skaters.
As for Werenski, he turns into the primary defenseman in Blue Jackets franchise historical past to earn a Norris nomination. The 27-year-old completed eighth in voting in 2019-20 however hasn’t acquired any consideration since then. He exploded again onto the scene in 2024-25, driving Columbus’ resurgent seventh-ranked offense with a team-high 82 factors in 81 video games. His 1.01 factors per recreation have been third within the league behind Makar and Hughes, however the next share of his offensive manufacturing got here at even power. Thirty-five and 29 of Makar’s and Hughes’ factors got here with the person benefit, whereas Werenski had solely 25 power-play factors and matched Makar’s 54 even-strength factors to guide defensemen. Werenski additionally led defensemen with 298 photographs on aim and ranked third within the league total.
