The NHL is graced with multiple elite defensemen who could be considered game breakers. The Colorado Avalanche’s Cale Makar and Vancouver Canucks’ Quinn Hughes can easily be associated in that category.
Last season, Makar finished sixth, and Columbus Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski finished seventh in Hart Trophy voting. Hughes ended up in 12th, but that is partly due to multiple injuries that kept the Canucks' D-man off the ice and ultimately forced him to miss the 4 Nations Face-Off.
However, despite being sidelined for a total of 14 games, Hughes was on a similar scoring pace to when he recorded 92 points two seasons ago.
He went on to score 16 goals and registered 60 assists for 76 points in 68 appearances. Furthermore, he led his team in scoring, putting up 26 points more than right winger Brock Boeser, as a defenseman.
Regardless of the incredible talent from the back end in the NHL, a defenseman hasn’t won the Hart Trophy in over 25 years. The last blueliner to take home that award was Chris Pronger in 1999-00 for the St. Louis Blues, and prior to Pronger, you’d have to go back to 1971-72 when Bobby Orr took home his third consecutive Hart Trophy to find another defenseman.
Since Pronger’s Hart-winning campaign, Brent Burns has come the closest to being named the league’s MVP as a D-man.
With the San Jose Sharks, Burns finished fourth in Hart Trophy voting after the 2016-17 campaign. He finished ninth in scoring with 76 points and won the Norris Trophy that year. Right behind him in the Hart Trophy race was Erik Karlsson, who scored 71 points for the Ottawa Senators.
Both the Sharks and the Senators saw playoff hockey in that season, including an Eastern Conference appearance by Ottawa.
While the Canucks didn’t make the 2025 post-season, they have no one but Hughes to thank for even coming close in the Western Conference wild-card race. They finished six points behind the Blues, who controlled that last spot in the West.
Next season, if the Canucks can make it to the playoffs, Hughes will likely be the X-factor that gets them there. If the 25-year-old can get his team to the playoffs next season and put up similar numbers like he did in 2023-24, there could be a good chance for Hughes to be the first defenseman to win the Hart in 26 years.
According to sportsbook BetMGM, the odds of Hughes winning the Hart next season are 41.00 (+4000).
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