Zach Werenski, a defenseman for the Columbus Blue Jackets, has been honored as the recipient of the 2026 Norris Trophy.
This achievement marks Werenski as the inaugural player from the Blue Jackets franchise to claim this prestigious award.
During a family cookout surrounded by loved ones, Zach experienced an unexpected moment when presented with the trophy. He believed he was participating in an interview regarding his new fatherhood, only to be caught off guard by the reveal of the Norris Trophy.
Out of 198 total ballots cast, Werenski secured 113 first-place votes, exceeding Cale Makar’s tally by 66 votes.
Games Played – 75 – This represents a decrease from the 81 games played in the 24-25 season. Werenski’s absence from several matches was attributed to an illness and also a game missed due to blocking a shot.
Goals – 22 – A slight reduction from the 23 goals scored in the preceding year, although he participated in fewer contests this season. Werenski topped all defensemen across the league in even-strength goals and also contributed 4 power-play goals.
Assists – 59 – He matched the franchise’s single-season assist record, previously established by himself in 2024-25 and Artemi Panarin in 2018-19, with 59 assists. Of these, 17 were generated during power-play situations.
Points – 81 – This total is one point less than his performance in 24-25. He stands as merely the third American-born defenseman throughout NHL history to achieve back-to-back 80-point seasons, joining the ranks of Housley (1991-93) and Leetch (1990-92). Furthermore, Werenski is only the second player in the franchise’s history, alongside Artemi Panarin, to record two consecutive seasons with over 50 assists and more than 70 points. He established a new single-season franchise record for multi-point outings with 26, surpassing Panarin’s 25 from 2018-19. Additionally, he broke the club record for the most games with multiple points in a single season.
Shots On Goal – 260 – A decrease from the 298 shots registered in 24-25. He concluded the season ranked 13th overall among all players for shots taken.
Time On Ice – 26:37 – This figure remained largely consistent with his 24-25 statistics. He secured the second position for average ice time across the entire league, trailing only Quinn Hughes.
Blocks – 94 – This marks the fourth-highest number of blocks he has recorded in his professional career.
Heartfelt congratulations are extended to Zach Werenski.
What’s Next for Columbus: The upcoming NHL Entry Draft is scheduled for June 26th and 27th in Buffalo, and the Columbus Blue Jackets organization holds the #14 overall selection.
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