Trophy Tracker: Hughes of Canucks in lead for Norris as top defenseman

To mark the one-quarter point of the 2023-24 regular season, NHL.com is running its first installment of the Trophy Tracker series. Today, we look at the race for the Norris Trophy, awarded annually to the top defenseman in the NHL as selected in a vote by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

Quinn Hughes is not just in the running to lead defensemen in scoring, but he could challenge for the overall NHL lead in points.

Hughes has already tied his NHL career high in goals (eight) and is on pace to shatter the 76 points he totaled last season with the Vancouver Canucks. With 33, he is second to Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche among defensemen (34), tied for fourth in the entire League and on pace for 117 points. Last season, Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson, then with the San Jose Sharks, had 101 points to become the sixth defenseman with at least 100 in a season, and Hughes is on track to join that elite class.

"You see how dynamic Quinn is, even at the start of camp, but it's another thing to take that into NHL games," Canucks teammate Tyler Myers said. "So for him to take another step and bring it to another level in the games since the start of the season and for a long stretch now, it's pretty special. He's a special player."

Hughes, who hasn't lacked offense since entering the NHL in 2018-19, leads the Canucks in rating (plus-18) and average ice time per game (24:52), and is second with 15 power-play points (center J.T. Miller has 16). He has been a catalyst in Vancouver ranking second in the NHL in goals per game (3.83) and sixth in goals against per game (2.54).

For those reasons and more, Hughes was selected by a panel of 16 NHL.com writers as the favorite to win the Norris Trophy voted as best defenseman in the NHL. He received 79 points, including 15 first-place votes. Makar was second with 63 points and one first-place vote. Victor Hedman of the Tampa Bay Lightning was third (38 points).

"I knew if I could stay healthy, I was in a spot where I could have a year like this, but obviously you never know," Hughes said. "The team success was my main goal coming in and I wasn't sure how that was going to go. … I just think it's easy to get, not complacent, but happy with your season, happy with where your team is, and you've just got to keep your foot down on the gas."

Hughes has helped Vancouver become one of the biggest surprise teams in the early going of 2023-24. In his first season as captain, he has helped lead the Canucks to a 15-8-1 record, good for second place in the Pacific Division, after not qualifying for the Stanley Cup Playoffs each of the past three seasons.

"You knew coming in here how good he is in the numbers sense, but what you don't know is how complete a player he is," said defenseman Ian Cole, who is in his first season with Vancouver and 14th in the NHL. "A lot of guys that put up a lot of points, they rest on defense, kind of bide their time in the [defensive] zone until they get a chance to jump up in the play. He cares about playing against top lines, about getting every minute he can and making those quality minutes, and he's producing. He's doing it all for us and he embraces that, which is awesome."

Hughes may be having a season for the record books, but the 24-year-old's desire to win is what has stood out to Canucks coach Rick Tocchet. 

"Quinn is such a competitor, workhorse and offseason rink rat," Tocchet said in September. "There are lot of ways to lead, and Quinn does it by example and by always giving his teammates, coaches and organization the upmost respect. When he does address the locker room, it is very powerful and his growth and maturation in just the short time I have been here is very impressive. 

"Quinn isn't afraid to get uncomfortable and voice his thoughts during both good and bad times, which says a lot about his character and desire to win."

Voting totals (points awarded on a 5-4-3-2-1-basis): Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks, 79 (15 first-place votes); Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche, 63 (1); Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning, 38; Erik Karlsson, Pittsburgh Penguins, 15; Shea Theodore, Vegas Golden Knights, 12; Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars, 9; Drew Doughty, Los Angeles Kings, 7; Travis Sanheim, Philadelphia Flyers, 4; Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins, 3; Josh Carlson, Washington Capitals, 3; Filip Hronek, Canucks, 3; Sean Durzi, Arizona Coyotes, 2; Josh Morrissey, Winnipeg Jets, 1; Noah Dobson, New York Islanders, 1

NHL.com independent correspondent Kevin Woodley contributed to this report