- Rasmus Dahlin, Cale Makar and Zach Werenski are the three finalists for the 2025-26 James Norris Memorial Trophy
- Makar is a finalist for the sixth straight year and looking to become a three-time winner
- Read below for a breakdown of each finalist’s case for best defenseman in hockey
The NHL’s best defenseman race has its final three.
The league announced Wednesday that Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin, Colorado Avalanche star Cale Makar and Columbus Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski are the finalists for the 2025-26 Norris Trophy. The Professional Hockey Writers Association handles the voting.
Dahlin is the first-timer here, and it’s been a long time coming. The 26-year-old put up a career-high 74 points (19 goals, 55 assists) in 77 games while captaining a Sabres team that won its first division title since 2010 and ended a 15-year playoff drought. He’d be the first player in franchise history to take home the Norris.
“It means a lot,” Dahlin said. “Finally the team has success… success kind of comes to you” when the daily commitment is there.
Sabres coach Lindy Ruff called him “a huge part of our team” and pointed to the physicality that makes him “hard to play against.” Dahlin is also a finalist for the Masterton Trophy this year — not a bad double nomination for a guy who spent most of his career answering questions about when the Sabres would stop being bad.
Then there’s Makar, who at this point basically has a reserved seat at the Norris table. This is his sixth consecutive year as a finalist. He won it in 2021-22 and again last season, and a third trophy would put him in a club that includes Bobby Orr, Nicklas Lidstrom, Doug Harvey and Chris Chelios. That’s the kind of company you don’t take for granted.
Makar finished third among defensemen in scoring with 79 points (20 goals, 59 assists) in 75 games while averaging nearly 25 minutes a night. He was a plus-32. The Avalanche are currently in their second-round series against Minnesota, where Makar has continued doing Makar things.
Avalanche forward Logan O’Connor spoke to Makar’s nature off the ice: “You wouldn’t know he’s a world-class player… just being around him.”
Werenski rounds out the trio as a finalist for the second straight season. He was the runner-up last year and has a legitimate case to break through in 2025-26. He led all defensemen in shots on goal with 260 and finished second at the position in scoring with 81 points (22 goals, 59 assists) in 75 games.
No Blue Jackets player has ever won the Norris. Werenski has a chance to change that, and his numbers make it hard to argue against.
The winner will be announced at a later date as part of the 2026 NHL Awards.
