Cale Makar awarded 2nd Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenseman
By River Wilcox
On Wednesday, Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar was awarded the 2025 James Norris Memorial Trophy, presented annually to the NHL’s top defenseman in the regular season.
With 176 first-place votes out of 191 cast, Makar was the decisive first choice for the Professional Hockey Writers Association. He finished with a total of 1,861 voting points, which dwarfs the next two runners-up in Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets (1,266), and Quinn Hughes of the Vancouver Canucks (918).
Makar has been nominated for the Norris Trophy each of the last five seasons, and is one of four players in league history to finish as finalists five times in their first six seasons. In 2022, he became the first player in Avalanche franchise history to win the award.
Makar’s outstanding 2024-25 season included numerous franchise records, career milestones, and statistics that cement his place in history next to the NHL’s greatest.
He led the league’s defense in points (92), goals (30), and assists (62) for his second consecutive 90-point season. That broke the Avs’ franchise record for single-season goals and points from a defensemen – a record which was also held by Makar. It also makes him the sixth blueliner in league history to have multiple 90-point campaigns.
He had the first 30-goal campaign from a defenseman since Mike Green in 2008-09, and the ninth of all time. On Jan. 18, he recorded his 100th career NHL goal in his 362nd game, making him the 5th-fastest defender to do so. On March 6, he became the first defenseman in franchise history to record six points in a single game, with two goals and four assists in a 7-3 win against San Jose.
This year’s Norris Trophy adds another piece of hardware to Cale Makar’s impressive trophy case. In 2019, he was awarded the Hobey Baker Award, given to the top NCAA men’s ice hockey player. In 2020, he won Calder Memorial Trophy for rookie of the year. In 2022, Makar secured his elite status with his first Norris Trophy, a Stanley Cup ring and the Conn Smythe Trophy (awarded to the postseason MVP). At only 26 years old, Makar already appears destined for the Hockey Hall of Fame.