The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced that defenseman Zach Werenski is among the three finalists for the James Norris Memorial Trophy. The award is given annually to the NHL’s top defensive player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-around ability in the position. The other finalists are Colorado’s Cale Makar and Vancouver’s Quinn Hughes.

 

Werenski, 27, set single-season franchise records among defensemen with 23 goals and 59 assists with 298 shots on goal. He averaged 26:45 of ice time in 81 appearances with the Blue Jackets this season.

 

The Grosse Pointe, Michigan native led the NHL in total time on ice (2,166:22) and finished third in shots on goal. He also led league blueliners in even strength goals (17), even strength points (tied, 54), and shots on goal, while also ranking second in goals, points, power play goals (tied, 5) and game-winning goals (5).

 

The 6-2, 211-pound defenseman led the Blue Jackets in assists, points, multi-assist (14) and multi-point efforts (22), and shots on goals, while ranking second in goals and points-per-game (1.01). He matched the franchise mark for assists in a single season (Artemi Panarin, 2018-19) and tied for the second-most points in a campaign (Panarin, 2017-18). 

 

Werenski is the first U.S.-born blueliner to record 23-plus goals in a campaign since Brian Leetch in 1993-94 (23) as well as 20 goals and 80 points since Gary Suter in 1992-93 (23-58-81, 81 GP). He also tied Phil Housley (22 GP in 1991-92) for the third-longest home points streak by a defenseman in NHL history with 14-27-41 in 22 contests from November 1-February 22.

 

He became the franchise’s all-time assists leader on March 9 at the NY Rangers, surpassing Rick Nash with his 259th career helper. He also ranks third on the club’s all-time list in points and sixth in goals (tied) and games played with 113-271-384 in 567 career games in nine NHL seasons with the Blue Jackets. He was selected by Columbus in the first round, eighth overall, at the 2015 NHL Draft.

 

The James Norris Memorial Trophy was first presented in 1953-54 by the children of the late James Norris in memory of the former owner-president of the Detroit Red Wings. Nominees are voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association at the end of the regular season with the top three vote-getters designated as finalists.