Races for the major awards around the NHL are heating up in a big way with just over a week left in the 2025–26 regular season. That’s especially the case with the Norris Trophy, and how these final few games play out could have a huge impact on the ultimate result.
An injury to Cale Makar has seemed to narrow things down to Zach Werenski—currently holding the shortest odds per FanDuel—and Evan Bouchard as the favorites to earn the honor of best defenseman in the league this year. It’s neck and neck between the two, which had John Buccigross of ESPN revealing a rather outside-the-box way he might go about voting, and that’s by weighing Werenski’s impact at the Olympics and assisting on the Golden Goal, whereas Bouchard wasn’t on Team Canada.
“If I have another vote this year, I’m counting the Gold Medal game in my voting. That’s Bucci’s rule. That counts, so if it’s close, Zach Werenski wins the Norris because he made that play. That counts. That’s a weighted vote this year.,”
The 28-year-old Werenski has tallied 78 points (21 goals, 57 assists) in 70 games played this season, while Bouchard, 26, has racked up 88 points (21 goals, 67 assists) across 77 games played.
It’s certainly an interesting and unorthodox viewpoint from Buccigross, given that an award like the Norris is typically just based on performance and production during the NHL regular season. Whether any other voters would include it in their decision-making process remains to be seen, though it feels somewhat unlikely.
It could wind up coming down to whether Werenski is able to will his Columbus Blue Jackets into a playoff spot, and on the flip side, how close Bouchard can get to 100 points while potentially helping his Edmonton Oilers win the Pacific Division.
Next: Former NHLer Still Not Buying Evan Bouchard as a Top Defenseman in the League
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