One can speculate that Zach Werenski will be exactly Nathan MacKinnon away from winning the Norris Trophy. Cale Makar will likely end up with the honors, the result of being on a team with a superstar and a better power play. No disrespect to Makar, but what Werenski did on a worse team in even worse circumstances not only puts him in the argument for best defenseman, but also most valuable player. Any team could lose any player to injury at any time, and the Columbus Blue Jackets would have been more affected by the loss of Werenski than any other player-team combination in the league.
2024-25 Player Review: Zach Werenski had a Norris-caliber season
