Werenski overtakes Makar as Norris favorite

Blue Jackets defenseman leads NHL.com poll for top defenseman award

Apr. 15, 2026 at 4:00am

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A fractured, cubist-style painting depicting a hockey defenseman in motion, with sharp geometric planes of navy blue, red, and white representing the player's uniform and movements on the ice.Zach Werenski's dynamic two-way play has made him a leading contender for the Norris Trophy as the NHL's top defenseman.Columbus Today

Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski has emerged as the NHL.com favorite to win the Norris Trophy, awarded annually to the league's top defenseman. Werenski, who finished second in Norris voting last season, received 74 points and 12 first-place votes from a 16-member panel, surpassing Colorado Avalanche star Cale Makar and Minnesota Wild's Quinn Hughes.

Why it matters

The Norris Trophy is one of the NHL's most prestigious individual awards, recognizing the league's best all-around defenseman. Werenski's rise to the top of the Norris race reflects his continued development into an elite two-way blueliner, capable of driving play at both ends of the ice for the Blue Jackets.

The details

Werenski finished the 2025-26 season with 81 points (22 goals, 59 assists) in 75 games, just one point shy of his career high. He also won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2026 Winter Olympics and helped keep the Blue Jackets in playoff contention until the final week of the season. Werenski's combination of size, skating ability, and puck-moving skills have made him a dominant force on the Columbus blue line.

  • Werenski finished second in Norris Trophy voting behind Cale Makar last season.
  • Werenski was third on the preseason Norris tracker, fifth at the first quarter, second at the halfway point and second three-quarters through the season, one point behind Makar.
  • Since returning from the Olympics, Werenski has 19 points (2 goals, 17 assists) in 23 games.

The players

Zach Werenski

A defenseman for the Columbus Blue Jackets who is the NHL.com favorite to win the Norris Trophy as the league's top defenseman.

Cale Makar

A defenseman for the Colorado Avalanche who finished second in the NHL.com Norris Trophy poll.

Quinn Hughes

A defenseman for the Minnesota Wild who finished third in the NHL.com Norris Trophy poll.

Erik Gudbranson

A defenseman for the Columbus Blue Jackets who praised Werenski's impact on the team.

Rick Bowness

The head coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets who commented on Werenski's ability to take control of games.

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What they’re saying

“Just his size (6-foot-2, 214 pounds), his skating ability. I find when he's on the ice, he dictates the other nine players that are on the ice. It's hard to quantify that presence and put it on a piece of paper as a number, but being around him and playing with him as much as we have, you see it.”

— Erik Gudbranson, Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman

“He's able to do that when things aren't going good, take control. The whole team struggled in that first period, let's not kid ourselves, so then when that happens, you need your better players to take over and set the tone.”

— Rick Bowness, Columbus Blue Jackets head coach

“He's definitely turned it on, brought it to a new level. He's always been a very detailed guy from my experience with him and maybe he made some slight little adjustments. Maybe it just clicks with age. Defensemen are sometimes like fine wine, you know what I mean? And he just found a new level to his abilities, found a new level of confidence. The guy's a tremendous hockey player. It's fun to watch every night.”

— Erik Gudbranson, Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman

“He's one of the best in the game right now. He does so many good things every night for us. It's pretty cool to watch.”

— Mason Marchment, Columbus Blue Jackets forward

What’s next

The Norris Trophy winner will be announced at the NHL Awards ceremony following the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The takeaway

Zach Werenski's emergence as the NHL.com favorite for the Norris Trophy is a testament to his continued growth into one of the league's elite defensemen. His combination of size, skating, puck-moving ability, and two-way impact has made him a driving force for the Columbus Blue Jackets, and a leading candidate to claim the award for the first time in his career.