The votes are in, and Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche is taking home his second Norris trophy, which is awarded to the league's best defenseman. Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski came in second, and Quinn Hughes of the Vancouver Canucks finished third in the voting--though it's fair to wonder if a fully healthy season would've given Hughes the momentum to win the whole thing.
However, there was one notable absence from all ballots: Blues defenseman Colton Parayko.
Final voting results for the 2024-25 Norris Trophy: pic.twitter.com/oJWXDnBpP3
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) June 11, 2025
Most of the defensemen on this list are the usual suspects, led by the highest-scoring players at the top. If we're judging based on points, it makes sense that Parayko was an afterthought: he only had 36 in 64 regular-season games, while Quinn Hughes had more than double that (76 points) in four more games and finished third.
Down the order, you see some "defensive defensemen" getting some love from the voters, namely Jaccob Slavin, Gustav Forsling, and Ryan McDonagh. Brock Faber's an interesting name as well, getting a single fifth-place vote, considering how young he is and that he didn't score all that much, either. Parayko's 36 points led the players among that group, but only he and Faber had negative Corsi-for and expected Goals-for percentages--that means that Parayko and Faber's respective teams did not control play while they were on the ice.
It's no surprise, then, that Parayko was left off all ballots: he missed quite a few games, didn't have the points, and didn't drive play the way the top defensemen in the league do. Perhaps there's a world where Parayko can push for some Norris respect in the future, but this was not that year--and as long as Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar are in the league, it'll be tough sledding for any defenseman to unseat them at the top.