Oilers' Bouchard Makes Late Push for Norris Trophy

Bouchard's offensive surge challenges Werenski's consistency for NHL's top defenseman award

Apr. 2, 2026 at 7:51pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the dynamic movements of a hockey defenseman, with sharp planes of color and overlapping perspectives conveying the intensity of the competition for the Norris Trophy.The race for the NHL's Norris Trophy has become a battle of contrasting styles, with Evan Bouchard's explosive offense challenging Zach Werenski's steady defensive dominance.Columbus Today

The race for the NHL's Norris Trophy, awarded to the league's top defenseman, has intensified in the final stretch of the season. Edmonton Oilers' Evan Bouchard has emerged as a late contender, challenging the consistency of Columbus Blue Jackets' Zach Werenski, the current betting favorite. While past winners Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes have also enjoyed strong campaigns, it's Bouchard's prolific offensive production that has him in the running to potentially unseat Werenski.

Why it matters

The Norris Trophy is one of the NHL's most prestigious individual awards, recognizing the league's best all-around defenseman. Bouchard's surge has added an exciting new dimension to the race, as his offensive prowess could potentially outweigh Werenski's steadier two-way play. The outcome of this award will have significant implications for the players' careers and legacies.

The details

Bouchard is on pace for 94 points this season, which would be the third-highest total by a defenseman in the last 33 years. Since January 24th, he has tallied the third-most points (37) among all skaters, trailing only Connor McDavid and Nikita Kucherov. In comparison, Werenski has 25 points in that same span. However, Werenski has been the more consistent performer throughout the season, leading defensemen in even-strength goals (18), even-strength points (57), and average ice time (26:30).

  • Bouchard has tallied 37 points in 23 games since January 24th.
  • Werenski has 25 points in 22 games since January 24th.

The players

Evan Bouchard

A 23-year-old defenseman for the Edmonton Oilers who has emerged as a late contender for the Norris Trophy with his prolific offensive production.

Zach Werenski

A 28-year-old defenseman for the Columbus Blue Jackets who is the current betting favorite to win the Norris Trophy, thanks to his consistent two-way play and leadership in keeping the Blue Jackets in playoff position.

Cale Makar

The Colorado Avalanche defenseman and two-time Norris Trophy winner who has enjoyed another strong season but has fallen off the pace in recent months.

Quinn Hughes

The Minnesota Wild defenseman who has put up impressive offensive numbers since being traded from the Vancouver Canucks, but may fall short of winning the Norris Trophy this season.

Lane Hutson

The 22-year-old Montreal Canadiens defenseman who is likely to win a Norris Trophy at some point in his career, but not this season.

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What they’re saying

“Bouchard is on pace for 94 points, which would be the third-most in 33 years. However, Werenski has been the most consistent of the contenders, so long as he finishes the job and gets the Columbus Blue Jackets into the post-season for the first time since 2020, he could be going home with his first piece of NHL hardware.”

— Gary Pearson, Author

What’s next

The final games of the regular season will be crucial in determining the winner of the Norris Trophy. If Werenski can lead the Blue Jackets to the playoffs, that could give him the edge over Bouchard's impressive offensive numbers. Makar and Hughes will also be looking to make a late push, but Bouchard and Werenski appear to be the frontrunners at this stage.

The takeaway

The race for the Norris Trophy has become a captivating battle between two distinct styles of defensemen - Bouchard's offensive dynamism versus Werenski's two-way consistency. Whichever player can best translate their strengths into team success down the stretch is likely to take home the coveted award.