Cale Makar wins 2022 Norris Trophy

Cale Makar (Quintin Soloviev, Wikimedia Commons)

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar of Calgary, Alberta won the 2022 Norris Trophy on Tuesday at the 2022 NHL Award Ceremony in Tampa, Florida. The award is presented to the top blueliner in the National Hockey League.

Makar had 28 goals and 58 assists for 86 points in 77 games. He was a +48 with 26 penalty minutes, 34 power-play points, six game-winning goals, 240 shots on goal, 110 blocked shots, 95 hits, 49 takeaways and 40 giveaways.

Makar becomes the first Avalanche player to win the Norris Trophy. No member of the Quebec Nordiques (NHL team that moved to Colorado in 1995) won the Norris Trophy either. It should be noted that Canadian Olympic gold medalist Rob Blake of Simcoe, Ontario played for the Avalanche from 2001 to 2006, but won the Norris Trophy as a member of the Los Angeles Kings in 1998. Blake won the gold medal for Canada at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City. 

The fact that Makar won the Norris Trophy might be a bit of a surprise. That is because Roman Josi of the Nashville Predators had an outstanding season. Josi had 23 goals and 73 assists for 96 points in 80 games for the Predators in 2021-22.

The other two Norris Trophy finalists have won the Norris Trophy in the past. Josi won with the Predators in 2019-20, and Victor Hedman won with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2017-18. Makar had won the Calder Trophy in the past in 2020.

There was one other player with a Canadian connection that won two NHL Awards on Tuesday. Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs won the Hart Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award.

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