The Norris Trophy race is closer than ever. Who should win and how should we decide?

Who is the best all-around defenseman in the NHL? There are a lot of contenders for that title this year.Unlike last year, there isn’t one favorite running away with the honors. This is the deepest Norris Trophy field in years, with a special group of defensmen performing with MVP-caliber play.The Norris Trophy tends to spark a lot of debate. The meaning of the best “all-around ability” usually has a few different interpretations among voters, and this year, there are defensemen in the mix for all points of view — elite scorers who are solid enough defensively, shutdown defenders who bring an offensive spark and true two-way threats. Even within those designations, there are still some hurdles such as measuring defense, because in 2026, there are more methods than just looking at a player’s ice time, plus-minus and blocks, or relying on reputation alone.Advertisement