TAMPA, Fla. – Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche is the 2021-22 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 is the first Norris Trophy winner in franchise history, following top-three finishes by Rob Blake (3rd in 2001-02), Ray Bourque (2nd in 2000-01) and Sandis Ozolinsh (3rd in 1996-97). He previously captured won Calder Trophy in his rookie campaign of 2019-20 and finished second in Norris voting last season.
Makar edged Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi by a razor-thin margin in voting points, 1,631-1,606, in the closest Norris Trophy vote since Ottawa’s Erik Karlsson shaded Nashville’s Shea Weber 1,069-1,057 in 2012. Victor Hedman of the Tampa Bay Lightning, the 2017-18 Norris winner, ranked third in balloting for the fourth consecutive year with 940 points.
Makar helped the Avalanche post a franchise-record 119 points by leading NHL defensemen with 28 goals, becoming just the fifth defenseman in the past 30 years to reach that total (Brent Burns, 29 in 2016-17; Mike Green, 31 in 2008-09; Al MacInnis, 28 in 1993-94; and Kevin Hatcher, 34 in 1992-93). He ranked second among blueliners in points (28-58—86) – the goal and point totals setting franchise marks for defensemen – and ranked fifth among all NHLers in plus-minus (+48).
For more on the Norris Trophy, including a list of past winners, click here.
2021-22 Norris Trophy Voting
Points | (1st-2nd-3rd-4th-5th) | ||
1. | Cale Makar, COL | 1631 | (92-98-5-0-0) |
2. | Roman Josi, NSH | 1606 | (98-76-17-3-0) |
3. | Victor Hedman, TBL | 940 | (4-14-142-30-2) |
4. | Charlie McAvoy, BOS | 358 | (1-7-22-55-24) |
5. | Adam Fox, NYR | 248 | (0-0-4-61-45) |
6. | Aaron Ekblad, FLA | 74 | (0-0-2-10-34) |
7. | Kris Letang, PIT | 73 | (0-0-0-18-19) |
8. | Devon Toews, COL | 38 | (0-0-1-5-18) |
9. | Jaccob Slavin, CAR | 38 | (0-0-1-3-24) |
10. | John Carlson, WSH | 28 | (0-0-0-4-16) |
11. | Morgan Rielly, TOR | 10 | (0-0-0-2-4) |
12. | Miro Heiskanen, DAL | 9 | (0-0-1-1-1) |
13. | Quinn Hughes, VAN | 9 | (0-0-0-2-3) |
14. | MacKenzie Weegar, FLA | 4 | (0-0-0-1-1) |
t-15. | Justin Faulk, STL | 1 | (0-0-0-0-1) |
Alex Pietrangelo, VGK | 1 | (0-0-0-0-1) | |
Jared Spurgeon, MIN | 1 | (0-0-0-0-1) | |
Christopher Tanev, CGY | 1 | (0-0-0-0-1) |
* Points allocation: 10-7-5-3-1 (1st-2nd-3rd-4th-5th)