Before we discuss how Evan Bouchard was unjustly overlooked when he failed to receive enough media votes to even make the final three for the Norris Trophy, let alone win it as the NHL's best defenseman after his 95-point season, here is the context.
This was arguably the most challenging vote among all NHL awards, with half a dozen worthy candidates. There were no surefire, absolute choices. While fans in Edmonton may decry the omission of the Oilers defenseman and wonder why Cale Makar, Zach Werenski, and Rasmus Dahlin are the finalists instead of Bouchard, supporters in other cities are equally outraged.
Consider Quinn Hughes in Minnesota, with his relentless motor in a compact frame. Or Lane Hutson in Montreal, who packs an engine into an even smaller body. Moritz Seider in Detroit is a German version of the two-way Viktor Hedman. They all had strong cases. And we are also bypassing Anaheim Ducks' Jackson LaCombe, who is as smooth and effective at both ends of the ice.
I personally had Bouchard in my top three. Yes, when he makes a defensive mistake, it can be a glaring one—a moment that makes you think, 'Come on, Bouch, you're better than that.' But I recall what Drew Doughty has long said about his own game: 'I have the puck a lot. I'm going to make the right play eight times out of ten and make a mistake the other two. We're trying to make plays.'
Bouchard's defense is not as horrendous as some social media trolls claim. His history suggests he elevates his game in the playoffs when the intensity rises, compared to a regular-season game in November. Does it still need improvement? Yes. Should he still be making major errors after 429 games? No. However, he finished the season with a plus-25 rating. Colorado's Makar, widely regarded as the best defenseman in hockey most seasons and one of the top players in the world, posted a plus-32—not a significant difference. Makar, who has won the Norris twice and been a finalist six of the last seven years, was not at his absolute best this season.
Yes, Bouchard excels on the power play, but he recorded only 33 points there. He tallied 60 even-strength points, one more than Werenski, two ahead of Hutson, eight clear of Dahlin (52), and ten better than Makar. He is arguably the best passing defenseman in hockey, adept at hitting teammates in transition, and he facilitates play for Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, sharing their offensive IQ on the power play.
Here is a key point about the Norris: it should go to a defenseman who not only contributes on the power play but also plays significant shorthanded minutes. 'I don't think you're the best defenseman in the league if you never kill penalties, you're just on the power play,' said one Western-based coach. Bouchard qualifies, as do the three finalists, along with Seider and LaCombe.
Hughes, who won the Norris in 2024, logged only eight shorthanded minutes combined between the Wild and Canucks after a trade. Hutson had 39 PK minutes in Montreal. While they drive play, they are not used on the penalty kill. Bouchard played the most even-strength minutes of any Oiler (1,577:56), the most power-play minutes (297:46), and the most penalty-kill minutes (147:52). The Oilers' regular-season penalty killing ranked in the bottom third of the league, and Bouchard was part of that, but he was trusted to be on the ice in those situations.
