Ranking the Top Contenders for the Norris Trophy as the NHL's Top Defenseman

The James Norris Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the NHL's top defenseman as voted by the Professional Hockey Writers Association. Recent winners include Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche and Quinn Hughes of the Minnesota Wild.

Makar won the Norris in 2021-22 and in 2024-25. He has the opportunity this season to become the 10th defenseman in NHL history to win the award three times. Hughes also has a good chance of winning, which would make him the 15th blueliner to win it twice.

Makar and Hughes will face a field of eight defensemen who could be in line to win the Norris for the first time. They include Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets, who was runner-up for the award last season.

Follow along as we examine where Makar, Hughes, and Werenski sit among our top-10 contenders for the 2026 Norris Trophy.

10. Evan Bouchard, Edmonton Oilers

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Since his career-high 82-point performance in 2023-24, Evan Bouchard has been among the league's highest-scoring defensemen. Over the past three seasons, the 6'3", 192-pounder is third with 226 points, behind Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche (249 points) and Quinn Hughes of the Minnesota Wild (235).

Bouchard currently leads all defensemen this season with 77 points and sits second with 58 assists. The 26-year-old Oiler sits 10th in time on ice per game (24:40) and is fifth in power-play ice time (3:40). He's ninth in takeaways (32) and is second among the Oilers in shorthanded ice time (1:52).

One downside is Bouchard's high rate of giveaways (101), tying him with MacKenzie Weegar of the Utah Mammoth for the most among league blueliners. Nevertheless, his high rate of production and puck-moving abilities have been invaluable to the Oilers.

9. Jakob Chychrun, Washington Capitals

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The Washington Capitals are battling to remain in the hunt for a wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference. One reason why they're still in the race has been the play of Jakob Chychrun, who has become their top defenseman in his second full season in Washington.

After eight seasons of overcoming injuries and trying to establish himself as a reliable No. 1 defenseman with struggling teams in Arizona and Ottawa, the 27-year-old Chychrun has found stability in Washington. He's enjoying a career-high performance this season with 23 goals and 28 assists for 51 points in 66 games.

Chychrun leads all defensemen in goals and game-winning goals (seven) and is ninth in points. The 6'2", 215-pound blueliner is third on this list in takeaways with 34. He leads all Capitals skaters in time on ice per game (23:44) and power-play ice time (3:11), and is fourth in blocked shots with 93.

8. Matthew Schaefer, New York Islanders

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A rookie defenseman has never won the Norris Trophy. However, a case can be made for Matthew Schaefer of the New York Islanders. The 18-year-old is considered the favorite to win the Calder Memorial Trophy as Rookie of the Year, as he's quickly become the Isles' top defenseman.

Schaefer logs a team-leading 24:21 of time on ice per game and 3:14 in power-play ice time. He also sees ice time on the penalty kill. The youngster is second among the Islanders in goals (20), points (48), and takeaways (30). Those 20 goals have him third among NHL blueliners.

It's unlikely that Schaefer will win the Norris, considering the experienced talent ahead of him. Nevertheless, he's become a sensation in his debut season, playing a significant role for the Islanders in their bounce-back campaign from last season's disappointing performance. He is a franchise player in the making.

7. Lane Hutson, Montréal Canadiens

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The Montréal Canadiens' rise from a rebuilding team to a playoff contender has been largely due to promising youngsters such as Lane Hutson blossoming into stars. Making his NHL debut in 2024-25, he netted 66 points in 82 games, becoming the first Canadien to win the Calder Memorial Trophy since Ken Dryden in 1972.

Hutson continues to shine in his sophomore campaign. The 22-year-old blueliner sits second among the Canadiens and fifth among NHL defensemen with 67 points. He has the second-best plus/minus (plus-26) among the blueliners on our list, and leads the Canadiens with 32 takeaways.

The 5'9", 162-pound Hutson is the smallest defenseman on this list, but he's made giant-sized contributions to the improving Canadiens. His quickness, agility, puckhandling, and vision could make him a first-time finalist for this season's Norris Trophy.

6. Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres

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For the first time since 2010-11, the Buffalo Sabres are poised to reach the playoffs. In fact, they're sitting atop the Atlantic Division and challenging the Carolina Hurricanes for first overall in the Eastern Conference. One big reason is the skills and leadership of team captain Rasmus Dahlin.

It's been a difficult season for Dahlin. He's had to take time away to be with his fiancée in Sweden as she continues to recover from an emergency heart transplant last summer. The fact that the 25-year-old is playing at a high level is a testament to his focus and Norris-worthy abilities.

With 60 points in 63 games, the 6'3", 204-pound Dahlin is sixth among NHL defensemen. He leads the Sabres in time on ice per game (24:29) and takeaways with 28. He continues to improve his defensive game, which is another reason why the Sabres find themselves near the top of the Eastern Conference.

5. Moritz Seider, Detroit Red Wings

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Winner of the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2021-22, Moritz Seider has steadily risen among the ranks of the league's elite defensemen. The 24-year-old's solid two-way play for the Detroit Red Wings has him in the running for the Norris Trophy this season.

With 46 points in 67 games, Seider is on pace to eclipse his career high of 50 points. His 25:40 of time on ice per game is fourth-highest among all defensemen. The 6'2", 210-pounder is a physical defensive presence, leading everyone on this ranking with 104 hits and 148 blocked shots, and is tied for the team lead with 22 takeaways.

The Red Wings are currently jockeying for a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference, hoping to end their nine-season postseason drought. They'll be relying heavily on core players such as Seider to get them over the finish line.

4. Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars

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Miro Heiskanen has been among the NHL's top defensemen since his career-high 73-point performance in 2022-23. That was also the season when the Dallas Stars blueliner finished seventh among Norris Trophy voters, which was his highest placement to date.

That's not an accurate reflection of Heiskanen's abilities. The 26-year-old sits eighth among defensemen with 56 points. He's third in time on ice per game (25:49) in all situations, and leads everyone on this ranking with 3:08 of shorthanded ice time. He's also second in this ranking with 112 blocked shots and 35 takeaways.

The 6'2", 197-pound Heiskanen is among the best all-around defensemen in the league, but he gets overlooked by Norris voters. The Stars certainly value what he brings to their defense corps. He's a key reason why they've been a Stanley Cup contender for the past three years.

3. Quinn Hughes, Minnesota Wild

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On Dec. 12, the Minnesota Wild acquired Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks in a blockbuster multi-player deal. The 26-year-old defenseman had 23 points in 26 games with a plus/minus of minus-11 with the Canucks, but his stats surged with the Wild, tallying 44 points in 36 games with a plus/minus of plus-7.

During his previous seven seasons with the Canucks, Hughes proved himself among the league's best defensemen. He's also developed into a solid two-way defenseman, putting up strong offensive numbers while improving his defensive game. Those efforts earned him the Norris Trophy in 2023-24.

Hughes has become an impact player with the Wild. He's fifth among NHL defensemen with 67 points, averaging a league-leading 27:44 of ice time per game and 4:26 of power-play ice time. The 5'10", 180-pounder has helped the Wild become a dominant club this season, putting himself among this season's Norris contenders.

2. Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets

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A finalist for the Norris Trophy in 2024-25, Zach Werenski remains very much in contention for the award this season. The 28-year-old Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman is the linchpin of his club's blue line as they attempt to secure a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.

Werenski is a highly skilled puck-moving defenseman. The 6'2", 214-pounder leads the Blues Jackets with 68 points and is second with 20 goals, sitting second among all blueliners in both categories. He's also second in time on ice per game (26:29), and leads the Blue Jackets with 26 takeaways.

Now in his 10th NHL season, Werenski is well-established among the league's elite defensemen. He's also become an invaluable foundation player and leader for the Blue Jackets. With his skills, vision, and confidence, it won't be surprising if he's among this season's Norris Trophy finalists.

1. Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche

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Since his rookie season in 2019-20, Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche has become this decade's most-decorated defenseman. A two-time winner of the Norris Trophy, he's also won the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2020 and the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2022 as he helped the Avalanche take home the Stanley Cup.

Makar is third among NHL defensemen and Avalanche scorers this season with 67 points. He's sixth in time on ice per game (25:02) and second in power-play ice time (4:13). Makar also leads everyone in our ranking with 36 takeaways and a plus/minus of plus-33, and leads the Avalanche with 106 blocked shots.

A smart, mobile defenseman with an active stick, the 6'0", 187-pound Makar will face a stiff challenge from the others on this list. Nevertheless, his strong overall game has helped the Avalanche become this season's dominant team. It could help him win the Norris Trophy for the third time.

Stats and trophy info via NHL.com.