Quinn Hughes should be pacing the league for the Norris
Quinn Hughes is officially doing everything this year, from once again showing us he’s barely entered his prime to now laying huge hits on opponents. Hughes isn’t the most physical defenseman, having landed just 24 body checks this season, but the hard-hitting nature of his game has slowly become more prevalent when you look at his numbers in past seasons.
It will never be a dynamic part of his game, but sensational positioning and his overall hockey IQ in all three zones are, and they have served the 24-year-old well since his first full season in 2019-20.
Vancouver is rocking a 91.7 save percentage at 5-on-5 when he’s on the ice, and he’s one of the best power play quarterbacks in hockey. So far, the Canucks have scored 43 times on the man advantage when he’s out there, with a 16.3 on-ice scoring percentage through 274.4 minutes.
We haven’t even gotten to Hughes’ basic numbers yet. Points-wise, he is currently on pace to reach the 90-plus mark with 79 in 70 contests already. Of these 79 points, 30 (two goals) have come on the power play.
Hughes finished ninth for the Norris last season, and his numbers through 78 contests won’t even come close to what he’s on pace to end with this season. He only needs to keep performing the way he’s been from October to March, and the Norris Trophy is his.