A new article from The Athletic highlights how many defensemen, and others, in the NHL feel about the fact that there's no award for the best defensive defenseman in the league. Especially considering there's one for best defensive forward."
The only award available for specifically defensemen in the Norris Trophy, which is supposed to go to the blueliner "who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position." As anyone who watches the NHL regularly can tell you, the Norris always goes to the best offensive defenseman. Case in point: last year's winner Erik Karlsson.

It's hard to disagree with anything any of these guys have said. This award is long overdue. As Ekholm said, it's "ludicrous" one doesn't already exist.
| POLL | ||
NOVEMBRE 25 | 116 ANSWERS NHL Defensemen Call on the League and Gary Bettman to Make Major Change Do you agree with the defensemen? | ||
| Yes | 85 | 73.3 % |
| No | 17 | 14.7 % |
| Not sure | 14 | 12.1 % |
| LIST OF POLLS | ||
|
YESTERDAY
NOVEMBER 3, 2025
| ||||
| G | A | PTS | ||
| Brock Boeser | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| William Nylander | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Evander Kane | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Benjamin Kindel | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Matthew Beniers | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Michael Bunting | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Jordan Eberle | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Filip Forsberg | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Auston Matthews | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Robert Thomas | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Luke Evangelista | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Connor McDavid | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Ryan Nugent-Hopkins | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Elias Pettersson | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Morgan Rielly | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Nick Blankenburg | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Andre Burakovsky | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jake Debrusk | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Dalibor Dvorsky | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Erik Haula | 1 | - | 1 | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||
| 2025-2026 NHL STANDINGS | ||||||
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Canadiens | 12 | 9 | 3 | - | 18 | |
| Red Wings | 13 | 9 | 4 | - | 18 | |
| Maple Leafs | 13 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 15 | |
| Lightning | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 14 | |
| Senators | 13 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 14 | |
| Bruins | 14 | 7 | 7 | - | 14 | |
| Panthers | 12 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 13 | |
| Sabres | 12 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 13 | |
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Devils | 13 | 9 | 4 | - | 18 | |
| Penguins | 14 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 18 | |
| Hurricanes | 11 | 7 | 4 | - | 14 | |
| Blue Jackets | 12 | 7 | 5 | - | 14 | |
| Rangers | 13 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 14 | |
| Islanders | 12 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 13 | |
| Capitals | 12 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 13 | |
| Flyers | 12 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 13 | |
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Avalanche | 13 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 19 | |
| Jets | 12 | 9 | 3 | - | 18 | |
| Mammoth | 12 | 8 | 4 | - | 16 | |
| Stars | 12 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 15 | |
| Blackhawks | 13 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 13 | |
| Predators | 14 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 13 | |
| Wild | 13 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 11 | |
| Blues | 13 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 10 | |
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Kraken | 12 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 16 | |
| Ducks | 11 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 15 | |
| Golden Knights | 11 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 15 | |
| Oilers | 14 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 15 | |
| Kings | 13 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 14 | |
| Canucks | 14 | 7 | 7 | - | 14 | |
| Sharks | 13 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 11 | |
| Flames | 14 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 8 | |
COMPLETE STANDINGS | ||||||