Werenski's Norris Victory
Columbus Blue Jackets' Zach Werenski Claims First Norris Trophy After Standout Season
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Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski won the 2026 Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman, edging out Cale Makar and finishing ahead of Rasmus Dahlin in voting. Werenski posted 81 points in 75 games with 22 goals and 59 assists while also leading league defensemen in even-strength goals, reinforcing his reputation as an all-around two-way threat. Voters recognized his overall impact after he was a finalist in 2025, making this his first Norris win in a decade-long NHL career. The honor capped a standout year that included helping Team USA win gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics, highlighted by an overtime sequence in the gold-medal game. He also continued to be a central scoring force for Columbus, leading the Blue Jackets in points for a second straight season despite a fewer-games campaign due to illness and a blocked-shot absence. Werenski’s win places him among a select group of Americans to claim the Norris, and it reflects both his defensive play and his offensive production from the blue line.
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Beyond his production, Werenski also paced (or ranked at the top) in usage and shot volume: he finished first among defensemen in shots (260) and second in average ice time (26:37), and he became just the 10th defenseman in NHL history to lead the Blue Jackets in scoring for a second straight season.
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The Norris voting was decisive in the totals: Werenski won with 1,589 points to Cale Makar’s 1,191, while also leading in first-place votes 113 to 47 (with Rasmus Dahlin finishing third).
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Werenski also marked a major personal milestone in the same season—he became a first-time father, as part of the coverage around his Norris win.
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His scoring breakdown included multiple record-level markers: he had 4 power-play goals and 17 power-play assists, tied the Blue Jackets’ single-season franchise record for assists (59), became only the third American-born defenseman to post consecutive 80-point seasons, and set a club single-season record for most multi-point performances (26) (plus a club record for multi-point games).
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