New Jersey Devils superstar Jack Hughes is back in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Calgary Flames after missing the last 11 contests with an upper-body injury, the team announced.
Hughes also missed five games in November with an upper-body injury.
Despite the missed time, he still ranks second on the Devils with 45 points in 32 games this season. Jesper Bratt paces the team with 52 points and has played in all 48 of New Jersey's contests.
Welcome to the fifth edition of theScore's 2023-24 Norris Trophy Rankings and the fourth in-season version. New rankings are published once a month throughout the campaign.
These rankings focus on analytics and the all-around ability of defensemen rather than only points or reputation.
xGF% = five-on-five expected goals for percentage
5. Evan Bouchard, Oilers
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
GP
G
A
ATOI
xGF%
46
11
32
22:50
62.89
Bouchard isn't logging the minutes of a typical Norris Trophy winner. No player has won the award averaging under 24 minutes per game since P.K. Subban (23:15) with the Montreal Canadiens in 2013. No player has won averaging under 23 minutes per game since ATOI was first recorded in 1997-98.
So while Bouchard doesn't meet all the criteria to create a legitimate case for the top spot, his excellence deserves to be recognized with some down-ballot love.
Bouchard's underlying numbers are off the charts. He ranks first among NHL defensemen in xGF%, first in expected goals for per 60 minutes, and 27th in expected goals against per 60 minutes. Many will credit that to him often sharing the ice with Connor McDavid in Edmonton, but Bouchard has proven capable of elevating those around him in his own right.
Bouchard has taken off since Edmonton swapped Tyson Barrie for Mattias Ekholm last year. In that span - including playoffs - he's racked up 79 points in 78 games.
4. Adam Fox, Rangers
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
GP
G
A
ATOI
xGF%
41
8
29
23:05
52.34
Fox hasn't appeared on this list since the preseason. He got injured before the first in-season edition, dealing with an ailment that caused him to miss 10 games. That missed action will undoubtedly hurt his case, considering no defenseman has won the Norris Trophy while missing more than six of his team's games since Ray Bourque played 72 of the Boston Bruins' 84 games in 1993-94.
Like Bouchard, also working against Fox is his low average time on ice. Fox averaged 24:42 during his Norris-winning campaign in 2020-21.
But even though Fox isn't a serious contender for No. 1, the way he's played of late makes him more than worthy of the fourth spot. Since the last edition of these rankings on Jan. 4, Fox has produced 13 points in 15 games with an xGF% of 51%.
3. Noah Dobson, Islanders
Cato Cataldo / National Hockey League / Getty
GP
G
A
ATOI
xGF%
50
6
46
25:55
49.75
Dobson is a true workhorse. He ranks second in the league in average time on ice and hasn't missed a game all season. It's despicable that he wasn't named an NHL All-Star.
His 6-foot-4 frame and smooth skating stride make him a stellar defender, but his true calling comes on the offensive side of the puck, as he's tied for the Islanders' lead in points this season. His vision is outstanding, ranking tied for sixth among all NHL skaters in assists.
Dobson's underlying metrics had been one of the lone knocks on his game, but those are starting to come around, as he's generated an xGF% of 51.78 since the last edition of these rankings. Dobson is starting to distance himself from those behind him on this list, but the top two are still in a separate tier.
2. Cale Makar, Avalanche
Claus Andersen / Getty Images Sport / Getty
GP
G
A
ATOI
xGF%
46
13
47
25:00
54.31
Makar held the top spot in the last two editions of these rankings, largely due to his superior underlying metrics. But those have evened out over the last month, as Makar's xGF% since the last rankings is just 51.5.
Makar is coming off a mighty productive month, recording 16 points in his last 13 games. He's still firmly within striking distance of winning his second Norris in three years. Makar's play would be strong enough to win the Norris in most years, so he might just need No. 1 on our list to come down to earth a bit.
1. Quinn Hughes, Canucks
Jeff Vinnick / National Hockey League / Getty
GP
G
A
ATOI
xGF%
50
12
52
24:29
53.27
Hughes was a relatively easy choice for No. 1 after putting together a month in which he tallied 18 points in 13 games with a sparkling 60.53 xGF%. The Canucks have outscored their opponents 18-10 in that span with Hughes on the ice at five-on-five. He's truly been dominating play of late.
The overall body of work speaks for itself, too. Hughes leads all NHL defensemen in assists (and he's two off the NHL lead among all skaters), points, even-strength points, goals above replacement, and expected goals above replacement.
While he was a relative long shot to begin the season, Hughes has always possessed the talent to win a Norris, and it's starting to feel more and more like this is his year.
Dan and Sat debate whether topics such as Ilya Mikheyev's spot in the top-6, Trading for Frank Vatrano, and much more is overrated or underrated!
This podcast was produced by Josh Elliott-Wolfe.
The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.
Dan and Sat discuss Elias Lindholm's initial fit in Vancouver and how the Canucks can continue to find fits on the roster as the season goes on. They also get into where the Canucks sit amongst the NHL's elite teams. Plus, hear from Kevin Woodley of InGoal Magazine and NHL.com (26:00) on the team's defence, goaltending in Vancouver and around the NHL, and much more.
This podcast was produced by Josh Elliott-Wolfe.
The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Rogers Media Inc. or any affiliate.
Mikhail Sergachev's return from injury was short-lived, as he appeared to sustain another significant one in his first game back.
The Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman - who was playing for the first time since Dec. 19 - came down awkwardly on his left leg after colliding with New York Rangers forward Alexis Lafreniere in the second period Wednesday night.
Sergachev had to be taken off the ice on a stretcher, and the team later ruled him out for the rest of the game.
Sergachev being taken off the ice, @NYRangers crowd giving their respect. Just so gutted for him. Gives the crowd a thumbs up. pic.twitter.com/1VA37fvKUf
The Lightning blue-liner missed 17 games with his previous injury. He played 10:22 before being forced to depart Wednesday.
Sergachev has been a key member of Tampa Bay's back end for years. He's a fixture in the top four when healthy, and the Bolts signed him to an eight-year, $68-million contract extension in the summer of 2022.
Matt and Blake talk about the Canucks win in Carolina and the smashing debut of Elias Lindholm on what was a great night of hockey. A terrific game in Raleigh where Lindholm led the way, Quinn Hughes and Thatcher Demko shone, and an even better game in Vegas where the Oilers' 16-game winning streak comes to an end. So, who should scare the Canucks the most in the playoffs (if anybody)? We hear from Lindholm after his two-goal night, track Andrei Kuzmenko's debut for the Flames, point forward to Thursday's game in Boston, look at a new trade deadline candidate and Cale Makar's odd comments about the 2018 WJC scandal.
John Shannon joins and says bring on playoff hockey. He's seeing the roots of it already. John talks about a potential buyer's market at the deadline, Lindholm's debut, peaking at the right time, the future of the Arizona Coyotes and some big media companies getting together to bundle their streaming sports rights.
Rob Williams stops by with thoughts on Lindholm, Rick Tocchet is worried about too much positivity from the media, oddsmakers still dissing the Canucks, and a former 2011 Bruin saying he'd like to see the Canucks win the Cup. Presented by Applewood Auto Group.
Tuesday was a solid night on the ice, as we went 2-1 with player props while turning a small profit on sides thanks to a Canucks win at a healthy +125 price.
Let's dive into Wednesday's three-gamer as we look to keep the ball rolling.
The Lightning are one of the hottest teams in the NHL, winning eight of 10 games before the All-Star break. And now they're getting healthy.
Defensemen Mikhail Sergachev and Erik Cernak are both expected to return to action against the Rangers on Wednesday night. They'll provide positive impacts at each end of the ice for a team that did just fine without them.
The Rangers aren't playing their best hockey, either. Although they've won back-to-back games, they sit 22nd in expected goals share at five-on-five over the last 10 contests. They aren't generating a whole lot offensively, and Igor Shesterkin is noticeably having issues at the other end.
He's struggled so mightily that the Rangers believe it's in their best interest to give Jonathan Quick his second straight start coming out of the All-Star break.
Although he played well against the Avalanche, Quick's performance has dipped since Christmas. The 38-year-old has played above his head for much of the season and it's probably not realistic for that to continue - especially in a date with Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, Steven Stamkos, and a star-studded Lightning attack.
Even if Quick holds his own, I'll happily take my chances with Andrei Vasilevskiy and the more in-form team at generous +115 odds.
Bet: Lightning (+115)
John Tavares: Over 3.5 shots
After a lengthy dry spell in which Taveres' production and shot volume dipped, things are starting to stabilize for the Leafs forward.
He's been a shooting machine of late, recording four shots or more in six of the past seven games and attempting six shots in a low-event contest against the Kraken in the lone exception. The volume is there right now.
Tavares is starting to get rewarded, scoring in back-to-back outings while putting up three points. He should feel good about his game heading into a matchup that's better than meets the eye.
The Stars are a good team, but they've given up a lot of shots lately. On Tuesday night, they conceded more than 40 against the disappointing Sabres.
Over the past 10 games, the Stars rank 27th in shot suppression at five-on-five and 30th while killing penalties. They're struggling defensively right now.
Tavares has recorded at least four shots in 63% of his games this season. What's more, he won't see much of the dominant Roope Hintz line, and the vulnerable Stars are in a back-to-back situation. Toronto's captain is primed to build on his recent success.
Odds: -140
Victor Hedman: Under 2.5 shots
Hedman has struggled to generate shots all season long. He's gone over the total in just 29% of his games, and his success rate drops even further on the road (26%).
The towering defenseman finds himself in a dreadful matchup to increase that number on Wednesday night. The Rangers don't give up many shots, don't take many penalties, and play a very low-event brand of hockey that leads to a lot more floor games than ceiling games from opposing shooters.
The Rangers have especially excelled at limiting shots from blue-liners. Only the Hurricanes have conceded fewer shots per game to opposing defenders over the last 10 games.
Making matters worse, Hedman's workload could dip in this game. With Sergachev and Cernak expected back, Jon Cooper doesn't have to rely on him as heavily.
Odds: -122 (playable to -160)
Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.
