"Only won Norris due to Cale's injury" "Noah Dobson to win the Norris": NHL fans debate if Quinn Hughes can reclaim top defenseman title

Quinn Hughes won the 2024 Norris Trophy after becoming the Vancouver Canucks captain. He scored 17 goals and 92 points, most among all defensemen that year, and his best NHL season so far.

A year later, Cale Makar won the 2025 Norris Trophy after a strong season with Colorado. Many fans believe Makar is still the top defenseman, and his name is often compared with Hughes.

NHL Network asked fans on X about Hughes's Norris chances in the upcoming season.

The post received many replies from fans.

"Noah Dobson to win the Norris." A fan said.

"When was Quinn ever the league's best d-man? Only won Norris due to Cale's injury and he still got out-produced." Another fan said.

"I think so yes. But only if the team is competitive. Obviously. Mamar usually wins due to overall team success," another fan said, referring to the Avalanche's overall better play helping Makar.

Fans were split on Hughes’ chances to repeat. Some believe he can reach those numbers again. Others think Makar will stay on top. Here are some more reactions from fans:

"If Quinn plays anywhere near 80 games, he’ll be for sure. He only played 68 games last year and still came in third," a fan mentioned.

"No, he is not as good as Makar," another fan said.

"This narrative that makar is the better defenseman and there’s no comparison is hilarious. The two are neck and neck talent wise and that’s just facts." a fan pointed.

Matthew Sekeres weighs in on Quinn Hughes' ranking behind Cale Makar in NHL top defenseman list

On August 18, Matthew Sekeres spoke on the Sekeres & Price podcast about Quinn Hughes being ranked second to Cale Makar in the NHL Network’s defenseman list. He said the ranking made sense since Hughes missed some time and played through injuries last season.

Still, Sekeres pointed out that the gap between the two is not settled. He called the upcoming season a “rubber match” that could shape how they are viewed.

“I don't think that's any surprise after Hughes missed some time last season," the analyst said. "Played through some injuries, not to mention Makar has another Norris Trophy win. Here’s what I will say is this year the rubber match between them?”

Both Hughes and Makar continue to put up strong numbers and play big minutes, keeping the discussion about the league’s top defenseman ongoing.

About the author

Ankit is an NHL journalist at Sportskeeda with over 3 years of experience in the writing industry. He has expertise in sports, product, and travel content writing. His interest in ice hockey was piqued after watching Sidney Crosby play and he has been passionately following the game since then. Ankit admires Crosby’s personality and hockey IQ, and when he crossed the 1,500 points tally, Ankit was among the biggest fans to celebrate the occasion.

An Edmonton Oilers fan because of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, Ankit also admires the Pittsburgh Penguins due to Crosby and the Colorado Avalanche for Nathan MacKinnon. He is also a fan of Wayne Gretzky and Bobby Orr.

Holding a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Language, Ankit believes his education has helped him develop a knack for presenting information in a precise and compelling manner. He only sources information from credible avenues and trusted people from his network for his articles.

When he is not watching or writing about the NHL, Ankit loves listening to music and reading books.

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Edited by Krutik Jain