As the NHL awards are slowly being handed out to all of the top players across the league for their respective categories, It was revealed on Tuesday that Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche was named the winner of the 2024-25 James Norris Memorial Trophy Award. The award is given out every year to the top defenseman in the league who shows exceptional ability all-around at the position. The three finalists for the award this season came down to Vancouver’s captain Quinn Hughes, Columbus Blue Jacket’s star Zach Werenski, and the eventual winner, Colorado’s scoring machine Cale Makar. This win also marks the second time Makar has earned the Norris trophy in his career, with his first win coming back in the 2021-22 season, the same year Cale and the Avalanche went on to win the Stanley Cup.

While both Hughes and Werenski made convincing cases, Makar stood out by far as the clear winner. Cale became the ninth defenseman in NHL history this season to notch 30 goals, the first in over 30 years since Adam Foote, and racking up over 90 points as well in the process. The first time Makar won the Norris, he had almost as good of a year as he did this season, scoring 28 goals and totaling 86 points in 77 games in 2021-22. This season was by far the best of Makar’s young career, and winning his second Norris trophy certainly solidifies himself as the best D-man in the entire league.

His edgework and puck moving ability is unmatched by any other at his position, and his scoring is something that no defenseman has managed to replicate in decades. All-around nobody plays the game the way that Makar does, and the value he brings to his team is immeasurable.

For the Avalanche, having a player of Cale’s magnitude automatically puts the team in a good position to win, but when paired with one of the best forwards in the world in Nathan Mackinnon, and Colorado is naturally placed in cup contention as long as those two are healthy and performing. It is vital for the future of the team’s success to keep Makar locked up for life as an Av, especially when his current contract expires in 2026.

At only 26 years old, Cale Makar has already proven he’s the best blue liner in the game, and his unique style has helped him ascend to the upper tier of all players in the National Hockey League. His fusion of skating and scoring ability, mixed with his defensive ig and awareness, has turned Makar into the ultimate complete player and can turn any team into a contender.

Overall, a big congratulations to Makar on his second Norris trophy of many to come in his career, and fans of the Avs and hockey fans across the league will be anticipating what he can do to try and match if not surpass his historic season this past year.