Cale Makar Wins 2nd Norris Trophy

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar was awarded the James Norris Memorial Trophy on Wednesday. It is his second in just his sixth NHL season.

The Norris is given “to the defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-around ability in the position,” voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

The young blueliner is the sixth player in NHL history to earn the accolade multiple times before his 27th birthday. He joins Bobby Orr (seven times), Denis Potvin (three times), Paul Coffey, Rod Langway and Erik Karlsson.

The Calgary, Alberta native was surprised with the trophy after a day of golfing, surrounded by family and friends.

Halfway to fore. 🏌

A golf outing with friends turned into a surprise party to celebrate Cale Makar's second James Norris Memorial Trophy! 👏

Watch the 2025 #NHLAwards before Game 4 of the #StanleyCup Final on June 12 at 6p ET on @NHL_On_TNT and @Sportsnet! pic.twitter.com/UVKkLsLObQ

— NHL (@NHL) June 11, 2025

Devon Toews posted some congratulatory words on X, with a little poke at his D-partner: “Congrats to Cale on another well-deserved Norris Trophy! The best in the game, a great human, and an amazing friend. Extremely proud of you buddy….. although a real man would be walking not using a cart!”

The elite defenseman has been a top-three finalist for the award the last five seasons. Only Orr and Potvin achieved that feat and won multiple times.

Makar had a career-high 92 points in the 2024-25 season and only missed two games. He scored 30 goals, which was the first time a defenseman had done so in 16 years (Mike Green scored 31 in 2008-09 with the Washington Capitals). Only nine other blueliners surpassed the 30-goal mark in NHL history — Orr (five times), Coffey (four times), Potvin (three times), Ray Bourque, Kevin Hatcher, Phil Housley, Doug Wilson and Green.

It is his second consecutive season to post 90-plus points, the fifth defenseman in NHL history to do so. It’s the first time since Coffey and Al McInnis did it in the late 80s/early 90s.

Makar finished the season with the most power-play goals (12), power-play points (35), shorthanded goals (2), and points per game (1.15) among blueliners. He was in the top 10 for points and assists among all skaters.

His first six-point game was on March 6 (2G, 4A) in a 7-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks. He is the first defenseman in franchise history to earn that multi-point game, and only the second in the League in the last 20 years.

Makar’s second Norris win is added to his Calder Trophy (2019-20) and Conn Smythe Award (2021-22) in his young career.