By Joe Coopersmith
NHL Public Relations
Colorado Defenseman Honored in Special Surprise Trophy Presentation
NEW YORK (June 11, 2025) – Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche is the 2024-25 recipient of the James Norris Memorial Trophy, awarded “to the defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position,” as selected by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
Makar was golfing when he was surprised by friends and family, including his wife and parents, with the trophy.
Makar, a Norris Trophy finalist for the fifth time in his first six NHL seasons, has captured the award for the second time (2021-22). He becomes just the second active defenseman with multiple Norris Trophy wins, joining Erik Karlsson (three).
Makar was the top choice on 176 of the 191 ballots and was a unanimous top-three selection for 1,861 voting points. Second-place Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets was named on all 191 ballots, including 13 first-place votes, for 1,266 points. Quinn Hughes of the Vancouver Canucks, the 2023-24 Norris Trophy winner, finished third in voting with 918 points.
Makar opened the season with a 13-game point streak, the second-longest by a defenseman to launch a campaign behind Bobby Orr’s run of 15 games in 1973-74, and went on to lead NHL blueliners in goals (30), assists (62) and points (92). He became the first defenseman to reach the 30-goal mark since Mike Green in 2008-09, with the 30 goals and 92 points setting franchise marks for a defenseman. The Calgary native is the fifth defenseman all-time to post back-to-back 90-point seasons and the first since Paul Coffey (three, 1988-89 to 1990-91) and Al MacInnis (two, 1989-90 to 1990-91).
The best players and coaches from the 2024-25 season will be celebrated in the 2025 NHL Awards, a one-hour special that will premiere on Thursday, June 12, at 6 p.m. ET on TNT in the U.S. and Sportsnet in Canada, before Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final. The show will highlight all NHL Award winners this season, including Makar and others revealed in a series of special surprise video announcements across all League platforms leading up to the June 12 program.
2024-25 Norris Trophy Voting
|
|
|
Points |
(1st-2nd-3rd-4th-5th) |
|
1. |
Cale Makar, COL |
1861 |
(176-13-2-0-0) |
|
2. |
Zach Werenski, CBJ |
1266 |
(13-132-38-7-1) |
|
3. |
Quinn Hughes, VAN |
918 |
(2-39-110-21-12) |
|
4. |
Josh Morrissey, WPG |
280 |
(0-5-18-41-32) |
|
5. |
Victor Hedman, TBL |
265 |
(0-1-11-55-38) |
|
6. |
Rasmus Dahlin, BUF |
120 |
(0-0-4-26-22) |
|
7. |
Thomas Harley, DAL |
60 |
(0-1-1-7-27) |
|
8. |
Jaccob Slavin, CAR |
60 |
(0-0-2-13-11) |
|
9. |
Lane Hutson, MTL |
42 |
(0-0-1-5-22) |
|
10. |
Jake Sanderson, OTT |
33 |
(0-0-0-9-6) |
|
11. |
Evan Bouchard, EDM |
29 |
(0-0-2-4-7) |
|
12. |
Adam Fox, NYR |
9 |
(0-0-1-0-4) |
|
13. |
Gustav Forsling, FLA |
8 |
(0-0-1-0-3) |
|
14. |
Ryan McDonagh, TBL |
5 |
(0-0-0-1-2) |
|
15. |
Devon Toews, COL |
4 |
(0-0-0-1-1) |
|
16. |
John Carlson, WSH |
3 |
(0-0-0-1-0) |
|
t-17. |
Jakob Chychrun, WSH |
1 |
(0-0-0-0-1) |
|
|
Brock Faber, MIN |
1 |
(0-0-0-0-1) |
|
|
Shea Theodore, VGK |
1 |
(0-0-0-0-1) |
(10-7-5-3-1 points allocation)
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