NHL Power Rankings: Norris Trophy Rankings (January Update)

January 22, 2026

Andy's NHL power rankings for the top-10 James Norris Memorial Trophy candidates for the 2025-26 season. His top Norris Trophy candidates of January 2026 include Cale Makar, Zach Werenski, Quinn Hughes, more.

With the NHL season past the halfway point and the Olympic break just weeks away, it's time to update our James Norris Memorial Trophy power rankings. Last week, we updated our Hart Memorial Trophy MVP rankings, and now it's time to shift our focus to the top defenders in the sport.

While the current favorite is no surprise to any hockey fans, there have been many breakout names on defense who have put together a very impressive campaign.

Let's dive into the current top-10 favorites to win the 2025-26 Norris Trophy. All statistics and records mentioned are updated as of Wednesday, January 21.

No. 10 - Evan Bouchard, Edmonton Oilers

Currently sitting fourth in total points among defenders, Evan Bouchard will take the first spot on our list. Bouchard has found the back of the net 11 times and is on pace to match his previous career-high of 18, which he set back in 2023.

Serving as the top defender in Edmonton, Bouchard has been a catalyst for the team's offense, generating the eighth-highest Corsi% (One-Ice Shot Attempt%) among defenders who have logged at least 800 minutes of ice time. Additionally, his 19 power-play points tie him alongside Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes for the most at the position.

After starting the season with zero points through six games, Bouchard has tallied 48 points over the last 45 and is on pace to finish within the top three in total points per game at the position. Bouchard continues to serve as the QB for the sport's top power-play unit.

No. 9  - Matthew Schaefer, New York Islanders

While he does not rank as high as the position on the scoring list, when looking at overall impact, Matthew Schaefer may be the most important player on his team. The reigning first overall pick has provided an immense spark to the Islanders and brought them into playoff position.

Through his first 49 games in the NHL, the 18-year-old has scored 13 goals and added 21 helpers. His 13 goals place him behind only Makar, Zach Werenski, and Jakob Chychrun among defenders. He has also added 66 blocked shots and 124 shots on goal, tying him with Hughes for the fifth most at the position.

Looking under the hood, Schaefer has generated the third-highest Flurry Adjusted xGoals at the position (9.3) and created 10.6 Rebounds Above Expected, the most at the position. Schaefer is generating offense across all facets of the game, and doing so as an 18-year-old is even more impressive. The Islanders have a future Norris candidate for years to come.

MATTHEW SCHAEFER HAS SCORED HIS FIRST OT GOAL!! 😱

The @NYIslanders have won three straight games in @Energizer overtime! pic.twitter.com/1Tx64CWf5Q

— NHL (@NHL) November 15, 2025

No. 8 - Jakob Chychrun, Washington Capitals

The 27-year-old is enjoying a career season in Washington. Through 48 games, Chychrun has found the back of the net 18 times and tacked on 18 helpers. He's just two goals away from matching his previous season-high of 20 (which he set last season) and nine points away from the 47 (season-high also set last year).

His increase in ice time, especially on the power play, has provided him ample scoring opportunities, and he has not disappointed. He has averaged 2:59 of power-play ice time each game, a near 45-second jump from 2024.

Chychrun has generated a 65.2% On-Ice Goals%, the fourth most among defensemen, and an elite 4.11 One-Ice Expected Goal For Per 60 minutes, trailing only Makar, Bouchard, and Darren Raddysh.

Similar to Schaefer, Chychrun shines when generating offense off rebounds. Per MoneyPuck.com, he is the only defender in the sport (among those who have logged 800 minutes of ice time) who has generated double-digit Flurry Adjusted xGoals.

No. 7 - Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars

The backbone of the Dallas blue line will hold the next spot on our list. Heiskanen has scored seven goals and tacked on 32 helpers across 48 games. He is currently on pace to match his career-high of 12 goals, which he set during his rookie campaign back in 2018.

Heiskanen has taken an even larger share of ice time in 2025, logging 25:56 per game, which would set a career high if he maintains this pace. The 26-year-old has logged an eye-catching 90 blocked shots, which trails only one player on this list (more on him later). Per MoneyPuck.com, Heiskanen has logged 32 takeaways, the third most at his position.

His 4.07 On-Ice Expected Goals For Per 60 Minutes places him sixth among all defenseman, trailing Chychrun, John Carlson, Makar, Bouchard, and Raddysh. Heiskanen also sits third among all defenders (trailing just Makar and Raddysh) in On-Ice High Danger Shot Attempts Per 60 Minutes.

When Dallas is on the attack, Heiskanen is typically leading the charge from the back end.

No. 6 - Lane Hutson, Montreal Canadiens

The reigning Calder Trophy winner has established himself as a legit Norris candidate in his second NHL campaign. Through 50 games, Hutson sits tied for second at the position in total points (52) with nine goals and 43 helpers.

Hutson's 57.0% Corsi% places him 11th among all defenders (who have logged at least 800 minutes of ice time), but his One-Ice Expected Goals% of 60.2%, which ranks third at the position, suggests he should see even more positive regression in his scoring department over the back half of the campaign.

Over his last 14 games, his underlying metrics have begun to show in the box score, as he tallied an impressive 20 points (four goals) with a +15 rating and 21 total shots on goal. The former 62nd overall pick could lead the position in total scoring.

No. 5 - Darren Raddysh, Tampa Bay Lightning

The most surprising name on this list (relative to preseason expectations) will hold the No. 5 spot on our list. After tallying a career-best 37 points with a +9 rating last season, many did not expect the 29-year-old to emerge as a legit top-pairing defenseman in 2025.

Through his first 42 games this season, Raddysh has smashed that production, scoring 12 goals (his first hitting double digits) and adding 30 helpers. He has posted a +20 rating while logging just over 22 minutes of total ice time per game.

With Victor Hedman and Ryan McDonagh on the shelf, Raddysh has taken over QB duties on the top power-play unit and led the top pairing in 5-on-5 play, which has bolstered his point production.

Per MoneyPuck.com, Raddysh has the highest One-Ice Expected Goals% (63.1%) among defensemen who have logged at least 800 minutes of ice time this season. Additionally, his One-Ice High Danger Shot Attempts Per 60 Minutes (5.77) is the highest at his position.

Raddysh has played a major role in Tampa Bay, which sits atop the Eastern Conference despite a long list of injuries. Even though Raddysh sits toward the back end of the top 10 on most sportsbooks, he deserves to be in the top half of conversations.

DARREN RADDYSH WINS IT IN OT 🔥🚨

He now has 29(!!!!) points in 33 games this season in a contract year 😵 pic.twitter.com/ZHi80GHvAY

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) December 31, 2025

No. 4 - Moritz Seider, Detroit Red Wings

Moritz Seider's 33 points place him 15th among defenders, but his underlying metrics place him near the top of the list. Per MoneyPuck.com, Seider has logged the fifth-highest Share of Possible Ice Time, further highlighting his role on the team and his impact on why the Red Wings sit near the top of the Atlantic Division.

Seider has logged 111 total blocked shots, placing him sixth among defenders and the highest on this top-10 list by a significant margin.

While his offensive totals in the box score are not overwhelming, his underlying offensive metrics suggest he could see a rise in scoring down the stretch. The 24-year-old is seventh in On-Ice Expected Goals% (58.6%), sitting behind only four names on this list. Additionally, his Relative Expected Goals% is the seventh highest at the position, according to MoneyPuck.com (13%).

Since December 1, Seider has averaged an impressive stat line showing his overall impact on the ice, totaling 17 points (over 24 games) with 1.75 SOG per game, 1.1 hits per game, 2.5 blocked shots per game, and a +6 rating.

No. 3 - Quinn Hughes, Minnesota Wild

Quinn Hughes was the centerpiece in the blockbuster trade that sent him to Minnesota earlier this season. In return, the Canucks received forward Marco Rossi, two prospects, and a 2026 first-round selection.

The 2023-24 Norris Trophy winner has looked quite comfortable with his new club and is sitting near the top of Norris betting odds once again. Through 45 games, Hughes has only scored four goals, but has tallied an impressive 40 assists, trailing only Hutson among defenders.

Hughes logs a massive 27:39 average minutes per game, which is the highest at this position. In fact, Hughes is the only defenseman in the entire league to average more than 27 minutes of ice time per game.

The 26-year-old has generated a high 58% On-Ice Expected Goals% but an even more impressive 41.5 Off-Ice Expected Goals%, which is the lowest mark among defenders who have logged at least 800 minutes of ice time. This statistic shows that when Hughes is not on the ice, the Wild (and Canucks for the start of the season) really struggled to generate consistent high-scoring opportunities.

Hughes is the QB of the offense and should continue to see his point total climb in the second half.

No. 2 - Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets

When looking at offensive production at the blue line, Werenski makes a strong case to hold the top spot in the sport. The 28-year-old is coming off an 82-point season in 2024-25 and has remained just as dominant in 2025-26, scoring 18 goals and adding 34 helpers across 45 contests.

His 18 goals tie him alongside Chychrun for the most goals by defenders, while his 52 total points tie him second among defenders, alongside Hutson and just two behind Makar for the top spot.

Werenski plays a major role in the Columbus game plan, logging 43.5% of total ice time, trailing only Hughes for the highest mark at his position. Given that the Blue Jackets lack many consistent scores on offense, Werenski often generates chances of his own, as he has tallied the third-highest xRebounds Created (per MoneyPuck.com) and fifth-most Flurry Adjusted xGoals.

While his On-Ice Expected Goals% is a bit lower in terms of other players on this list (50.7%), Werenski's offensive firepower, especially when looking at his goal-scoring talent, pushes him to the top half of this list. The American-born defender sits alone with a 7.9 Goals Above Shooting Talent (the only defender with a score greater than 6.0) and has logged an incredible 164 shots on goal. He is the only defender to have more than 160.

Zach Werenski now has EIGHTEEN (18) goals in 43 games played... AS A DEFENSEMAN 😱🚨 pic.twitter.com/COm3cYeMlR

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) January 16, 2026

No. 1 - Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche

Without a doubt, Cale Makar sits at the top of our list. The Colorado defenseman sits with 54 points through 47 games, the most in the sport among defensemen. Makar has found the back of the net 14 times and added 40 helpers.

His 19 power-play points tie him alongside Hughes and Bouchard for the most in the NHL, while his +29 rating is the highest among defensemen on the list and fourth highest in the league. Even though the Colorado Avalanche sit near the bottom in power-play conversion rate, Makar has been involved in 19 out of their 27 total power-play goals, showing his massive impact.

The 27-year-old possesses incredible offensive ability, ranking among the top three in almost all advanced offensive metrics among defenders. Per MoneyPuck.com, Makar has posted the third-highest One-Ice Expected Goals Per 60 Minutes and the second-highest One-Ice Score/Flurry Adjusted Expected Goals%.

His On-Ice Goals% and One-Ice Shot Attempts Per 60 Minutes are both the second most among defenders.

Watching Cale Makar walk the line is such a treat 😍

📺: @NHL_On_TNT & @StreamOnMax ➡️ https://t.co/4TuyIATi3T pic.twitter.com/gOvYCUC5ay

— NHL (@NHL) January 19, 2026

On the Outside Looking In

• Josh Morrissey, WPG
• Jake Sanderson, OTT
• John Carlson, WSH
• Rasmus Dahlin, BUF
• Erik Karlsson, PIT

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