2023-24 James Norris Memorial Trophy finalists: Quinn Hughes, Roman Josi, Cale Makar

[LeighDx59]

Hughes might win it, but in the palyoffs The Predators pushed him around a lot.
He looked sad like he was about to cry or something.

Thats just his face, he looks like someone is making him play hockey by threatening his family or something.

As much as I would love Josi to get his second, especially after how great he was this year, I do think Hughes gets it.

1. Hughes.
2. Josi.
3. Makar.

 

[Bankerguy]

QH deserves it. he was better in his own zone while being on Par with CM in the O zone. he did this while being on a weaker overall team.
5on5 GA/GF adjusted for TOI is STAGGERING when u compare the two. The guys with the vote know this. QH will win comfortably

 

[NOTENOUGHRYJOTHINGS]

Aves GM crushing Makar fanboys dreams.

Makar isn't having off season surgery. He's not been playing with broken hips.

He's suffering from "team around him got weaker itis". A terrible disease for sure. One that plagued Quinn Hughes for a few years as well.

Maybe expectations of winning 5 Norris and Conn Smythe in a row were a tad too high.

 

[Siludin]

Hughes might win it, but in the palyoffs The Predators pushed him around a lot.
He looked sad like he was about to cry or something.

"Cmon Hughes, smile a little!"

"Oh... okay no, that's... that's fine- stop it..."

 

[Oak]

Watching the playoffs its clear who the top dog is, and it's not Hughes. I mean even Heiskanen is having a better playoffs than Hughes and he wasnt nominated.

People who understand hockey should be doing the voting, not these silly writers who push agendas.

 

[dirtydanglez]

playoffs dont count so hughes should still win.

 

[eviohh26]

Watching the playoffs its clear who the top dog is, and it's not ballerina boy Hughes. I mean even Heiskanen is having a better playoffs than Hughes and he wasnt nominated.

People who understand hockey should be doing the voting, not these silly writers who push agendas.

If you understood how the voting worked ......... lol. Its for the regular season . And clearly you have no agenda with Heiskanen in your profile pic.

 

[rypper]

Watching the playoffs its clear who the top dog is, and it's not ballerina boy Hughes. I mean even Heiskanen is having a better playoffs than Hughes and he wasnt nominated.

People who understand hockey should be doing the voting, not these silly writers who push agendas.

Playoffs don't factor into the voting. Hughes was better in the regular season.

 

[katfude]

Watching the playoffs its clear who the top dog is, and it's not ballerina boy Hughes. I mean even Heiskanen is having a better playoffs than Hughes and he wasnt nominated.

People who understand hockey should be doing the voting, not these silly writers who push agendas.

HOMER ALERT

I have an Avs avatar and Hughes will win it.

 

[LordBacon]

What's with all the hyperbolic, tribalist comments? All 3 of Josi, Hughes and Makar are elite. Amazing Dmen and we are lucky to be able to watch them play. Each could win, and would be deserved.

I think Hughes wins it this year, but if Makar or Josi got their 2nd Norris I wouldn't be surprised either. All amazing players!

How dare you be level headed.
Pick one and shit on the other two like the rest of us.

 

[yeaher]

Aves GM crushing Makar fanboys dreams.

Makar isn't having off season surgery. He's not been playing with broken hips.

He's suffering from "team around him got weaker itis". A terrible disease for sure. One that plagued Quinn Hughes for a few years as well.

Maybe expectations of winning 5 Norris and Conn Smythe in a row were a tad too high.

It's Avs buddy...

No doubt about it, but that's the thing the team got worse but Cale is just as good just put up as many points as he ever, defensive metrics have taken a hit with the team worsening though. I will tell you one thing about Hughes though, give him the Norris this year, great regular season, but that one thing about Quinn Hughes is that dude aint never winning a Conn Smythe.

 

[Breakers]

Not surprising it’s the same simpleton who doesn’t understand it is a regular season award

 

[Frankie Blueberries]

If you understood how the voting worked ......... lol. Its for the regular season . And clearly you have no agenda with Heiskanen in your profile pic.

Someone dropped their laptop in the monkey cage at the zoo and we got that post. Tbh I’m impressed by the monkey’s grammar and spelling. It was the best of times, it was the blurst of times.

 

[Chairman Maouth]

It's Avs buddy...

No doubt about it, but that's the thing the team got worse but Cale is just as good just put up as many points as he ever, defensive metrics have taken a hit with the team worsening though. I will tell you one thing about Hughes though, give him the Norris this year, great regular season, but that one thing about Quinn Hughes is that dude aint never winning a Conn Smythe.

Thanks, Nostradamus.

That chapter is literally years away from being finished.

 

[Chairman Maouth]

Watching the playoffs its clear who the top dog is, and it's not Hughes. I mean even Heiskanen is having a better playoffs than Hughes and he wasnt nominated.

People who understand hockey should be doing the voting, not these silly writers who push agendas.

I'm pretty sure he was hurt early in the Preds series. The Preds really targeted him from the start of game one and I think it was an early hit that hurt him. My guess was bruised or cracked ribs. He wasn't skating like he usually does and the edgework just wasn't there. I figure he was about 50 percent.

The thing is, Hughes is not the kind of guy who's going to tell anyone outside of medical staff.

It was the hit along the boards where he was sandwiched by two Preds that I think injured his ribs.

 

[Rowlet]

It's Avs buddy...

No doubt about it, but that's the thing the team got worse but Cale is just as good just put up as many points as he ever, defensive metrics have taken a hit with the team worsening though. I will tell you one thing about Hughes though, give him the Norris this year, great regular season, but that one thing about Quinn Hughes is that dude aint never winning a Conn Smythe.

So... you think he's going to win the Conn Smythe?

 

[Oak]

I'm pretty sure he was hurt early in the Preds series. The Preds really targeted him from the start of game one and I think it was an early hit that hurt him. My guess was bruised or cracked ribs. He wasn't skating like he usually does and the edgework just wasn't there. I figure he was about 50 percent.

The thing is, Hughes is not the kind of guy who's going to tell anyone outside of medical staff.

It was the hit along the boards where he was sandwiched by two Preds that I think injured his ribs.

I wont deny this possibility and kudos to him for playing through it. He did show grit and toughness which I did not expect from him.

My issue with Hughes is he is a possession monster but when he doesn't have the puck he struggles to regain it, and he has issues in his own end. Obviously only in the playoffs because you dont see him having these problems as much in the rugular season.

Kid is not built for playoff hockey and with as talented as he is, he is not the guy to put his team on his back and takeover a game like Makar can. I have always had Makar and Heiskanen above him in my D ranking listed, but these playoffs are showing even more that my opinions were justified. Oilers fans will mention Bouchard and on paper he is doing really well but something about him I just cant get behind. Might be bc I just dont watch enough oilers games and really analyze him but I never liked him going back to when he won the Memorial cup and was getting so much praise.

Playoffs don't factor into the voting. Hughes was better in the regular season.

I completely understand that, but playoffs are showing who the best of the best is, and Hughes is not him.

 

[Oak]

If you understood how the voting worked ......... lol. Its for the regular season . And clearly you have no agenda with Heiskanen in your profile pic.

Yea I know its regular season. My issue is writers who never played hockey or understand the nuances of the game get to vote on these awards. Lot or bs goes into the decisions.

Yes I have Heiskanen in my AV because he is an absolutely amazing defenseman. Not Makar amazing, but amazing nonetheless.

Any GM in the league if they can pick and 2 D in the league would be picking Makar #1 and Heiskanen #2. You cant win a cup with Hughes as your guy, he is a power play merchant and zone entry guy. Once the pressure is on him he is coughing up pucks and making bad plays out of fear of getting hit.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Hughes
Josi
Makar

Is the final order

 

[dirtydanglez]

Hughes
Josi
Makar

Is the final order

hughes
makar
josi

with hughes and makar being a lot closer than most people think.

 

[colchar]

I want to see someone win the award for best defenceman for actually being an outstanding defender, rather than for point totals as a defenceman.

 

[Maple Leaf]

I want to see someone win the award for best defenceman for actually being an outstanding defender, rather than for point totals as a defenceman.

They should rename the award to the Erik Karlsson Memorial Trophy

 

[jigglysquishy]

I want to see someone win the award for best defenceman for actually being an outstanding defender, rather than for point totals as a defenceman.

You too young to watch Lidstrom play?

 

[eviohh26]

Yea I know its regular season. My issue is writers who never played hockey or understand the nuances of the game get to vote on these awards. Lot or bs goes into the decisions.

Yes I have Heiskanen in my AV because he is an absolutely amazing defenseman. Not Makar amazing, but amazing nonetheless.

Any GM in the league if they can pick and 2 D in the league would be picking Makar #1 and Heiskanen #2. You cant win a cup with Hughes as your guy, he is a power play merchant and zone entry guy. Once the pressure is on him he is coughing up pucks and making bad plays out of fear of getting hit.

Hughes has 41% of his Points on the PP compared to Heiskanen 39%. While having 92 points compared to 54.

Heiskanen isn't even in the same conversation . Lets say Makar is taken 1st. You know for a fact as do I it would be Josi or Hughes at 2nd. Even Dahlin had a better season than Heiskanen. Don't forget about Fox.

I think we can wrap this one up to you being a homer and wanting your guy to win.

 

[Oak]

Hughes has 41% of his Points on the PP compared to Heiskanen 39%. While having 92 points compared to 54.

Heiskanen isn't even in the same conversation . Lets say Makar is taken 1st. You know for a fact as do I it would be Josi or Hughes at 2nd. Even Dahlin had a better season than Heiskanen. Don't forget about Fox.

I think we can wrap this one up to you being a homer and wanting your guy to win.

Says the guy from BC. I live in Boston I'm not even a Dallas or Avs fan.

All you stat nerds do is look at points. Majority of Hughes assists this year are just a pass back to the point and him passing the puck to the next open guy. He doesn't create the way Makar does in the offensive zone. Also he plays a full 2 minutes on the PP while all other D split with PP2.

I don't care how many secondary assists Hughes gets. When the game is tight and you need a D that you can rely on, Hughes will never be that guy. Proof is in the pudding. He had his chance to show what he was made of this year in the playoffs and he showed that he is not him. How many times did he air mail pucks into the neutral zone bc he was scared of getting hit. Cmon man. YOU take the homer glasses off.

If you think Josi, Dahlin, or Fox would get picked over Heiskanen then there is no helping you. Josi is getting old. Did you see how bad he looked these playoffs? Dahlin has been doing well but he isn't same tier as Heiskanen. Bringing up Fox is a joke, nobody would take him if they already had Makar. Fox is another guy who plays scared in the playoffs.