The calendar has flipped to 2025, which implies it’s time for the Norris Trophy winner to disclose himself.
There’s a three-player race for the award given yearly to the NHL’s greatest defenseman on the season’s midway factors. On the prime of the percentages are a pair of former winners and an upstart from a small-market group.
However with out a clear, runaway winner, there’s nonetheless time to get an honest payout when you can predict who will find yourself profitable the Norris Trophy on the NHL Awards in late June.
Here’s a have a look at the place the Norris Trophy odds stand as of Jan. 15.
NHL Norris Trophy Odds
2024-25 Norris Trophy Favourite
Cale Makar, Avalanche (+100)
Makar goes to at all times be among the many Norris Trophy favorites so long as he stays wholesome. The Avalanche’s stalwart blueliner, who received the award in 2022, has been a Norris Trophy finalist in every of the previous 4 seasons despite the fact that he has missed no less than 5 video games in each season he has performed.
However Makar has not but misplaced a recreation to damage this season and shares the NHL lead for factors amongst defensemen (50) as of Jan. 15, whereas sitting third on the Avs behind NHL-leader Nathan MacKinnon and fellow point-producing stalwart Mikko Rantanen.
Makar’s repute precedes him, and the Avs are 21-9-1 of their previous 31 video games. Which means in the event that they end close to the highest of the standings and Makar reaches 90 factors for the second straight yr, he’s very prone to win the award.
2025 Norris Trophy Contenders
Quinn Hughes, Canucks (+115)
Hughes is the reigning Norris Trophy winner, but there’s purpose to pause earlier than betting on him to reclaim his throne in 2025. For starters, Makar is outpacing him point-wise, which was not the case a season in the past when Hughes put up a career-high 92 factors (17 objectives, 75 assists).
Hughes is having one other good yr and is a mannequin of consistency within the Vancouver room that has been overrun by turmoil. He leads the Canucks with 47 factors and a plus-14 score, whereas rating seventh within the NHL in Corsi For (311) – which means his variety of shot makes an attempt – and is No. 1 in factors per recreation amongst defensemen (1.21).
That is a person award, and a Norris winner doesn’t essentially want to come back from a playoff group. However the truth the Canucks are middling close to the playoff fringe, and the actual fact Hughes isn’t dominating additionally threatens his candidacy.
Zach Werenski, Blue Jackets (+280)
These of us who comply with the NHL carefully have identified Werenski’s potential for years, since he was drafted eighth total in 2015. However enjoying for the two-steps-forward-one-step-back Blue Jackets has wrecked havoc on Werenski’s profession, since he has solely skated in 29 playoff video games in his earlier eight seasons.
However Werenski is having a breakout season beneath first-year coach Dean Evason by already posting his second-career 50-points season by way of simply 43 video games. He leads all NHL defensemen in objectives (15), shares the NHL lead for factors amongst defensemen with Makar (50) whereas additionally main the upstart Blue Jackets in factors.
Werenski leads all defensemen in lots of statistical classes, together with photographs (171) and high-danger possibilities (30). Plus, he has been an integral a part of Columbus’ resurgence, since he has 42 factors in CBJ’s previous 30 video games (1.4 per recreation) and his group has gone 16-9-4 and moved right into a playoff spot.
Who Will Win the 2025 Norris Trophy?
It’s by no means a nasty wager to wager on Makar, particularly since you may pencil him in as a finalist earlier than the season even begins. Hughes can even undoubtedly be within the combine, despite the fact that he has solely been a finalist for the award as soon as in his earlier six seasons and there has not been a repeat Norris winner since Nicklas Lidstrom in 2007-08.
However our choose is Werenski, who’s in line to develop into the tenth totally different Norris winner prior to now 10 seasons. The Blue Jackets are displaying no indicators of going away, and Werenski is poised to get the credit score for his or her ascendence since he has been their greatest participant – and in contrast to the Makar’s Avalanche there’s not a humiliation of expertise surrounding Werenski.
Plus, Werenski’s fancy stats are higher than each Hughes’ and Makar’s, which is able to endear him with each conventional voters and those who take into account all knowledge earlier than submitting their ballots.
So for the second, my top-three, so as, could be:
- Zach Werenski
- Cale Makar
- Quinn Hughes
