Cale Makar Dethroned in New Norris Trophy Rankings
cale makar has been pushed off the top spot in a fresh set of Norris Trophy rankings released as the NHL pauses for the Olympic medal round, with two American defenders moving ahead in the list.
Cale Makar dethroned in the latest rankings
The update, current as of Feb. 21, names a new front-runner after a run in which several star defensemen either missed Olympic selection or are representing their countries in Milan. While cale makar remains a dominant presence, the rankings place other blueliners above him this week as teams return to practice during the Olympic break.
What pushed Lane Hutson and Evan Bouchard ahead
Lane Hutson and Evan Bouchard earned spots at the top of the list. Hutson has 58 points in 57 games and a 1. 02 points-per-game average; among defensemen who have played at least 1, 000 minutes this season, he ranks fourth-best in expected goals against per 60 minutes at 2. 49 and is among the top 10 in high-danger shot attempts against per 60. He also has the second fewest giveaways among the top-five scoring defensemen, and the ranking notes he sits ahead of peers such as Miro Heiskanen, Moritz Seider and Rasmus Dahlin in several of those categories.
Bouchard leads all NHL defensemen in points with 63, made up of 15 goals and 48 assists. He is averaging a career-high 24: 44 time on ice and carries a plus-11 rating. The ranking highlights his offensive impact — an 89-point pace would surpass his career high — and notes he, like Hutson, was not selected for the Olympic tournament.
Where the rest of the top five stand
The rankings still include top-tier names. Makar, a two-time Norris Trophy winner, is described as having an excellent season: in 55 games he has 15 goals and 57 points, tying him for fourth in scoring among defensemen, and he is among the top 10 at his position with a plus-28 rating. Despite the drop in placement, the write-up says he remains very much in the race for the award.
Quinn Hughes also features in the top five after a season split between two clubs. In 52 appearances this season he was evenly split between his time with Vancouver and then Minnesota: with Vancouver he had two goals, 23 points and a minus-10 rating in 26 games; in the same number of contests with Minnesota he posted three goals, 34 points and a plus-nine rating.
The list was assembled while the NHL is on pause for the men's Olympic tournament, now in the gold- and bronze-medal stage. Teams around the league have returned to practicing as the rankings reflect midseason positioning and recent form.
Rankings are current as of Feb. 21; the Olympic men's tournament is in its medal round and NHL clubs are preparing for players to return once league play resumes.
