Vancouver Canucks’ defenseman Quinn Hughes has won the 2024 James Norris Memorial Trophy, provided annually to the top defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-around ability in the position. Hughes had 17 goals and 92 points, setting career highs in both categories while providing elite defense on the Canucks’ blueline.
It was Hughes’ first season as captain of the Canucks and he provided value in all aspects of the game. The point production speaks for itself, but he also took massive strides defensively. Alongside their 2023 Trade Deadline acquisition Filip Hronek, the two played nearly 4,000 minutes combined all season, leading Vancouver as one of the best defensive teams. Their performance was crucial down the stretch as the team lost star goaltender Thatcher Demko to injury.
Hughes played in all 82 games for the Canucks, averaging nearly 25 minutes per game. He led the primary powerplay unit, finishing with five powerplay goals and 38 powerplay points, helping lead the team to a 22.6% success rate. He finished the season with a plus/minus rating of +38, the highest on the team.
This award is just another mention in the news for the Canucks as of late, as they have recently extended Hronek, Teddy Blueger, and Dakota Joshua. They have also traded Sam Lafferty and Ilya Mikheyev to the Chicago Blackhawks. The 2023-24 season was a success for Vancouver and it will be exciting to see how the team proceeds from here.
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