Norris Trophy winner for 2024-25 season debated by NHL.com

The NHL’s offseason business is close to finished with most free agents having been signed. Training camps loom in less than three weeks, and the landscape of the League has changed with new faces in new places. Heck, even the team landscape has changed with the Arizona Coyotes being relocated to Salt Lake City and becoming the Utah Hockey Club.

With that in mind, we asked NHL.com staffers to look into their crystal balls and do some prognosticating on the League’s major awards. Today, it’s the Norris Trophy, awarded annually to the League’s best defenseman. Here, in alphabetical order, were the selections.

Evan Bouchard, Edmonton Oilers

The 24-year-old had a breakout season and posted numbers from the blue line not seen in Edmonton since Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman Paul Coffey played with the Oilers (1980-87). Bouchard had 82 points (18 goals, 64 assists) in 81 games last season. He had eight power-play goals and seven game-winning goals, which was an NHL-high by a defenseman. He also had 32 points (six goals, 26 assists) in 25 Stanley Cup Playoff games and came within a goal post of giving the Oilers the lead in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. If Bouchard can put together another outstanding offensive season, he could put himself in consideration for the Norris Trophy. -- Derek Van Diest, staff writer

Adam Fox, New York Rangers

I was somewhat stunned to see Fox ranked eighth last week when NHL Network unveiled its top 20 defensemen heading into the season. I say stunned because I can’t imagine there are seven defensemen in the NHL better than Fox, who finished fourth in Norris Trophy voting last season. And I expect him to prove it this season. Fox had an NHL career-high 17 goals last season, and his 56 assists gave him 73 points (one shy of the NHL career-high 74 he had in 2021-22). Those numbers ranked him sixth among all defensemen last season. Fox, who won the Norris in 2020-21, did anchor a power play that finished third in the League (26.4 percent); he had 33 power-play points (which was tied with Roman Josi of the Nashville Predators for fourth). Granted, he struggled in the postseason (eight assists in 16 games), but I expect Fox to have a huge season. -- Bill Price, Editor-in-Chief

Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars

With back-to-back trips to the Western Conference Final, the Stars may not have gotten the Stanley Cup championship they desire, but they have shown what they have on a stacked roster, and that starts with Heiskanen. The defenseman has proven the past couple of seasons he’s one of the NHL’s best, opening eyes in the biggest of moments. The 25-year-old had 54 points (nine goals, 45 assists) in 71 games last season, down from 73 points in 2022-23, then added 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) in 19 playoff games, averaging 28:11 of ice time per game in the postseason. But he’s far more than his offensive production, impacting the game in countless ways. He’s become a defenseman to watch for the Norris, and I think this is his year. -- Amalie Benjamin, staff writer

Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks

Sure, there hasn’t been a repeat winner for the Norris Trophy since Nicklas Lidstrom of the Detroit Red Wings won it three straight seasons from 2006-08. Well, I say it’s about time for another guy to win it two years in a row. Hughes is coming off a tremendous season in which he set career marks in points (92), goals (17) and assists (75). He was second in points for the Canucks last season to center J.T. Miller with 103 (37 goals, 66 assists). The 24-year-old has a lot of great seasons ahead of him, and in my opinion, it was the first of several times he'll win the Norris. So, why not make it two in a row to start building that hardware collection? -- Tracey Myers, staff writer

Roman Josi, Nashville Predators

The Nashville captain has to be the happiest player in the NHL right now with all the new toys he has around to help him make the Predators a Stanley Cup contender. Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault should join Josi, Filip Forsberg and Ryan O'Reilly on Nashville’s first power-play unit. Josi led all NHL defensemen with nine power-play goals last season. He was tied for fourth with 33 points on the power play, despite Nashville being 16th in the League (21.6 percent). The Predators should be way better on the power play with Stamkos and Marchessault, meaning Josi should get more points. He had 85 overall last season, third among defensemen. He could be in the 90s, or close to 100 this season. All of this on top of his expected elite defending and the likelihood of Nashville being a top team should make Josi the favorite for the Norris Trophy. -- Dan Rosen, senior writer

Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche

When your name is mentioned in the same sentence as that of Hall of Famer Bobby Orr, special things are being accomplished on the ice. Makar is doing exactly that. In January, the 25-year-old got his 300th point in his 280th game to become the second-fastest defenseman in League history to reach the milestone, one game shy of Orr (279). He’s already won one Norris (2021-22), a magical season in which he also was named the recipient of the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, helping the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup. He also was named the winner of the Calder Trophy as the League’s top rookie in 2019-20. Thanks in part to his effortless skating which draws comparisons to Hall of Famer Paul Coffey, expect him to be one of the frontrunners, if not the leading candidate, to win the Norris a second time. -- Mike Zeisberger, staff writer

Josh Morrissey, Winnipeg Jets

The 29-year-old is entering his prime, and it’s about time people realize it. Last season, Morrisey had 69 points (10 goals, 59 assists), which was eighth in the League among defensemen. He averaged 24:11 of ice time for one of the stingiest teams in the League and was plus-34, which was fifth among defensemen. More tellingly, his on-ice goals-for percentage was 63.8, which was fifth in the League, and the Jets had 52.8 percent of their shots in 5-on-5 situations while Morrissey was on the ice. Morrissey is prolific at each end of the ice, and it is time his national profile meets his on-ice performance. That starts this season. -- Shawn P. Roarke, senior director of editorial