NHL Players Push for New Defensive Award As Multiple Lightning Players Get Snubbed
Despite leading the NHL with a plus-43 rating and boosting his team to fourth-best in goals against, Tampa Bay’s Ryan McDonagh got a mere three Norris Trophy votes in 2024-25….
TAMPA, FL – FEBRUARY 4: Ryan McDonagh #27 (R) of the Tampa Bay Lightning celebrates his empty-net goal against the Ottawa Senators with Victor Hedman #77 during the third period at the Amalie Arena on February 4, 2025 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)
Despite leading the NHL with a plus-43 rating and boosting his team to fourth-best in goals against, Tampa Bay's Ryan McDonagh got a mere three Norris Trophy votes in 2024-25.
Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy backed his teammate. "All day," he told the Tampa Bay Times. "It's just unfair to guys like him who are doing everything to keep the puck out of the net. Obviously, he doesn't score many goals, doesn't score many points, but he's the best defensive defenseman."
Colorado's Cale Makar claimed his second Norris Trophy with 92 points. While the award should honor the NHL's top all-around defenseman, recent winners tell a different story. The past four winners averaged 93 points each season, showing a clear bias toward scoring.
Stats paint a clear picture of McDonagh's impact. Without him, Tampa Bay struggled at 14th and 22nd in goals against. His return through trade shot the team up to fourth-best in the league, a dramatic shift that speaks volumes.
Both Vasilevskiy and Wayne Gretzky suggested splitting the award. "There should be a different award for guys like Makar," Vasilevskiy stated. "For guys who score like 100 points in a season, but the Norris, it should be about defensemen, guys like Mac who have huge plus-minus, 2,000 blocks over his career."
McDonagh's season showed skill beyond scoring. His four goals and 27 assists tell only part of the story. Working with Erik Cernak, he shut down top-scoring lines while keeping Tampa Bay's penalty kill among the NHL's best.
The voting numbers tell a stark tale. Of 191 hockey writers casting Norris votes, just three picked McDonagh. Only one vote came from outside Tampa's local press, pushing him to 14th place overall.
Victor Hedman placed fifth in Norris voting after ranking sixth in defenseman scoring. This marks his seventh top-five finish in career voting - an impressive feat that adds weight to Tampa Bay's defensive strength.
Brayden Point was also snubbed for this year's Lady Byng Memorial trophy, which is awarded to the player in the league that exhibited the best type of sportsmanship. Point was voted as the runner up for this year's trophy with 793 votes
