To mark the halfway point of the 2024-25 regular season, NHL.com is running its third installment of the Trophy Tracker series this week. Today, we look at the race for the Norris Trophy, awarded annually to the top defenseman in the NHL as selected in a vote by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
Cale Makar was picked to win the Norris Trophy as the best defenseman in the NHL by an NHL.com panel prior to the season and at the quarter mark of the season. Halfway into the season, he's still the favorite.
He leads defensemen in points (49), is tied for first in goals (13), and is second in assists (36). He also ranks first in power-play points (20) and is tied for first with one short-handed goal in 25:38 of ice time through 43 games for the Colorado Avalanche.
Makar was named the NHL's First Star of the Month for October, when he had 19 points (four goals, 15 assists) in 11 games to become the second defenseman in NHL history with a season-opening point streak of at least 11 games, joining Bobby Orr (1973-74). Makar began the season with a 13-game point streak (23 points; five goals, 18 assists).
He had 14 points in 13 December games (three goals, 11 assists) and had his second two-goal game of the season in a 6-5 comeback win against the Buffalo Sabres on Jan 2.
“He's so good, and he creates so much time and space for not only himself but his teammates," Makar's defense partner Devon Toews said, "and we just try to get him the puck and get him areas with time and space so that he can make plays and do what he does."
Makar received 76 voting points (13 first-place votes) from NHL.com's 16-person panel. Quinn Hughes of the Vancouver Canucks, who won the award last season, finished second with 58 points and received the other three first-place votes. Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets was third with 47 points.
Makar is one goal away from 100 in his NHL career and could become the sixth-fastest defenseman in the NHL to reach the mark behind Hall of Famers George Boucher, Bobby Orr, Paul Coffey, Ray Bourque and Denis Potvin.
"I don't know if I'm close to anything right now," Makar said. "I'm not somebody that just looks at that kind of stuff. I watch a lot of hockey, but I don't look at stats and stuff like that. So for me, it's just trying to live in the moment and enjoy the day to day."
Makar, who has been a finalist for the Norris each of the past four seasons, finished third each of the past two seasons, second in 2020-21 and won it in 2021-22. This season, he has at least a point in 30 of Colorado's 43 games, including 16 multipoint games.
But it has been his play away from the puck that has been the biggest difference this season. He ranks third in the NHL in ice time per game, including averaging 2:12 of short-handed ice time per game, and has been better on the defensive side compared to past seasons.
"If he's going to play that much, then you want to make sure you're just not trading chances, and he's really bought into that," Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. "You can tell there's an added focus on his defending details and what he needs to do. He wants to be clear on it, and he wants to continue to improve it."
The Avalanche began the season 0-4-0, but have rebounded and have won 12 of their past 16 games to move up in the Central Division.
"I feel like my game's taken a substantial overall increase from the last couple years; I think it dipped a little bit just in quality," Makar said. "This year, I kind of found it again defensively, and I'm trying to find it offensively too. Overall, my game, I feel pretty confident in it right now, and I feel like I'm in a better spot than I have been in the last couple years."
Voting totals (points awarded on a 5-4-3-2-1-basis): Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche, 76 (13 first-place votes); Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks, 58 (three first-place votes); Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets, 47; Josh Morrissey, Winnipeg Jets, 32; Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning, 15; Shea Theodore, Vegas Golden Knights, 3; Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres, 3; John Carlson, Washington Capitals, 2; Jakob Chychrun, Capitals, 1; Brock Faber, Minnesota Wild, 1; Evan Bouchard, Edmonton Oilers, 1; Alex Pietrangelo, Golden Knights, 1
NHL.com independent correspondent Ryan Boulding contributed to this report
