[News] 2023/2024 Norris Top 3: Hughes, Josi, Makar

[Kipper_3434]

Hughes is mind blowing good. So is Makar. Hughes deserves it this year. However, Makar is the most well rounded D in the league right now and his silky smooth skill is arguably just as good. Hughes hasn't proven he can be this good every year yet.

Josi a solid runner up, also plays with the least amount of other high skilled players.

[troutman]

Morrissey is knocking on the door.

[FanIn80]

I was born just a few years before Orr retired, so I was never able to watch him play. I've seen highlights and replays of him though, and the two times I saw Makar live, I was constantly reminded of the grainy black and white replays.

I'm old enough to have seen all the great defencemen since Orr... Like Robinson, Potvin, Coffey, Bourque, Chelios, MacInnis, Blake, Lidstrom, Pronger, Niedermayer, etc etc... Makar is the one that really seems like Orr to me.

Edit: Obviously, I'll defer to anyone who was lucky enough to see Orr while they were old enough to appreciate and understand what they were watching. I could be way off base, as replays and highlights can't ever compare to actually watching someone play.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

I was born just a few years before Orr retired, so I was never able to watch him play. I've seen highlights and replays of him though, and the two times I saw Makar live, I was constantly reminded of the grainy black and white replays.

I'm old enough to have seen all the great defencemen since Orr... Like Robinson, Potvin, Coffey, Bourque, Chelios, MacInnis, Blake, Lidstrom, Pronger, Niedermayer, etc etc... Makar is the one that really seems like Orr to me.

Edit: Obviously, I'll defer to anyone who was lucky enough to see Orr while they were old enough to appreciate and understand what they were watching. I could be way off base, as replays and highlights can't ever compare to actually watching someone play.

I was lucky enough to watch Orr and, as I have said many times on here, Makar reminds me more of Orr than anyone has. Orr could just take over the game, any time he wanted. Makar can do that at times. And the graceful, effortless skating...

[FanIn80]

Yep! The skating and the ability to just seemingly do whatever he wants with the puck, and still somehow not get caught out of position

[1qqaaz]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I agree, I think Makar should win it. The points are all really close. Hughes has 2 more points than Makar and 7 more than Josi, but both guys have more goals. Hughes has a way more favourable +/- than either, but that is probably the weakest stat to factor in.

All of them get almost identical time on time per game, however Makar plays way more on the PK than the other 2. Hughes and Josi average about 0:30 shorthanded time on ice per game, while Makar averages about 2:30 per game and has more shorthanded points than both combined. The fact he is relied on more for killing penalties and the position is defense after all, should push him over the top IMO.

I didn't realize this. It's no wonder Makar is more of a winner.

[alnigi]

Whatever with the stats.
Quinn is winning the Norris this year, for good reason.
All the talk is always about Cale here, for good reason.
Rarely have I heard anyone on this site since Quinn came in to the league, speak positively about him. Perhaps it's the hatred/dismissal of the Canucks generally on this board.
He is a wizard on the ice. And keeps getting better. And only 24, a year younger than Cale.

Also he was born on October 14th , haha (my birthday)

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

And acting like the article covers everything, and the stats weren't chosen through a biased lens, is also silly talk.

Makar is playing like the best defenseman since Bobby Orr. He needs to keep doing it for several years, in order to be a legitimate comparison, but so far, that's where he's tracking.

Hughes had a fantastic year, on a team that had an off-the-charts PDO heater.

Gio won from an anomaly-like season too.

For me Hughes wins it this season. His two way game drastically improved, and imo Vancouver isn’t where they are without him (and Demko).

[dirk diggler]

I am just glad that whoever wins it isn't a 1 dimensional stat guy like Karlsson. Actually like to see a Norris Trophy winner who can actually play D. I feel it is Hughes year, I am no canucks fan but he is fantastic although i do prefer Makar

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Blaster86

Oh the article was definitely written with a purpose, but acting like that stats are lying because of where the article published is silly talk.



Yeah, that's the one weak part. But everything else is just so heavily slanted towards Hughes it matters a lot less. The fact that he was a drag on Nathan MacKinnon blows my mind.

For what it's worth, I like Hughes a lot and I would understand if he wins. Makar would be my pick to win by a hair, but I could see Hughes winning it and it wouldn't bother me at all. I think there is a reasonable debate between the two.

[Southern_Canuck]

I think Hughes might be up there with Bure as the best players to ever play for Vancouver, however this Norris Trophy race reminds me a little of 1981 when Randy Carlyle won over Denis Potvin because he scored more points...

S_C

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

I was born just a few years before Orr retired, so I was never able to watch him play. I've seen highlights and replays of him though, and the two times I saw Makar live, I was constantly reminded of the grainy black and white replays.

I'm old enough to have seen all the great defencemen since Orr... Like Robinson, Potvin, Coffey, Bourque, Chelios, MacInnis, Blake, Lidstrom, Pronger, Niedermayer, etc etc... Makar is the one that really seems like Orr to me.

Edit: Obviously, I'll defer to anyone who was lucky enough to see Orr while they were old enough to appreciate and understand what they were watching. I could be way off base, as replays and highlights can't ever compare to actually watching someone play.

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

I was lucky enough to watch Orr and, as I have said many times on here, Makar reminds me more of Orr than anyone has. Orr could just take over the game, any time he wanted. Makar can do that at times. And the graceful, effortless skating...

This is pretty awesome: (Makar, Orr highlight comparison) https://www.nhl.com/video/makar-orr-...-6352609638112

[midniteowl]

I want Makar to win but if Hughes wins it, I wouldn't be too upset. Just glad that all three can actually play defense.