NHL reveals Canucks' Quinn Hughes as Norris Trophy finalist

Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes is one of three defencemen named finalists for the James Norris Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the defenceman who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position, the NHL announced Tuesday.

Hughes, 25, paced the Canucks in scoring in the 2024-25 season despite missing time with and playing through a variety of injuries, inluding those to the hand and to the oblique.

Overall, the Canucks captain finished with 16 goals, 60 assists, and 76 points, placing sixth on the team in goals and leading the team in points by massive margin. A 26-point gulf separated Hughes from the next two closest players, Brock Boeser and Conor Garland, who each had 50 points this season.

Hughes will be competing with Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche and Zach Werenski, a fellow Michigan product, of the Columbus Blue Jackets for this year's Norris Trophy.

Makar had 30 goals, 62 assists, and 92 points this season, recording the first 30-goal season from a defenceman in nearly 20 years. The last player to accomplish this was then-Detroit Red Wings defenceman Mike Green, who scored 31 times in the 2008-09 season.

Werenski enjoyed a career year after several tumultuous, injury-filled ones. The 27-year-old had 23 goals, 59 assists, and 82 points--all career-highs--while playing 26:25 a night on average and guiding the Blue Jackets to the cusp of a shock playoff berth.

Intriguingly, Makar's Avalanche is the only team of the three Norris nominees to make the playoffs this year, which may further swing the odds in his favor.

As for Hughes, there was only so much he could do to will the Canucks onward with the categorical lack of help he received all season long.