James Norris Memorial Trophy

This article is about the National Hockey League award. For the International Hockey League (1945–2001) award, see James Norris Memorial Trophy (IHL).

The James Norris Memorial Trophy is given out to the National Hockey League's best "defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position". The James Norris Memorial Trophy has been awarded 53 times to 22 different players since it was first created in 1954. At the end of each season, members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association vote to decide the player who was the best defenseman during the regular season.

James Norris Memorial Trophy
Sport	Ice hockey
Given for	"defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position" in the National Hockey League
History
First award	1953–54 NHL season
Most wins	Bobby Orr (8)
Most recent	Quinn Hughes Vancouver Canucks

History

The trophy is named in honour of James E. Norris, owner of the National Hockey League's Detroit Red Wings from 1932 to 1952. The trophy was first awarded at the end of the 1953–54 NHL season.

Bobby Orr of the Boston Bruins won the award for a record eight seasons in a row (1968–75). Doug Harvey and Nicklas Lidström has won the award seven times, while Ray Bourque has won it five times during his career. The Boston Bruins have won the most Norris Trophies with 14. The Montreal Canadiens are second with 11.

There are only two players that have won both the Norris and Hart Memorial Trophy for the same season: Bobby Orr, who won both trophies for the 1969–70, 1970–71 and 1971–72 seasons, and Chris Pronger, who won the Hart and Norris for the 1999–2000 NHL season.

Seven different defensemen won the Hart Trophy before the Norris Trophy's establishment: Billy Burch, Eddie Shore (four times), Herb Gardiner, Albert "Babe" Siebert, Ebbie Goodfellow, Tommy Anderson and Babe Pratt.

The voting is done at the end of the regular season by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association, and each voter picks their top five candidates on a 10–7–5–3–1 points system. Three finalists are named and the trophy is awarded at the NHL awards ceremony after the end of the playoffs.

Winners

Nicklas Lidstrom, seven-time winner.

Erik Karlsson, two-time winner.

Bobby Orr, eight-time winner.

Ray Bourque, five-time winner.

Brian Leetch, two-time winner.

Chris Pronger, one-time winner.

  Player is still active

  Eligible player not yet elected to Hockey Hall of Fame

  Inactive player not yet eligible for the Hockey Hall of Fame

Season	Winner	Team	Win #
1953–54	Red Kelly	Detroit Red Wings	1
1954–55	Doug Harvey	Montreal Canadiens	1
1955–56	Doug Harvey	Montreal Canadiens	2
1956–57	Doug Harvey	Montreal Canadiens	3
1957–58	Doug Harvey	Montreal Canadiens	4
1958–59	Tom Johnson	Montreal Canadiens	1
1959–60	Doug Harvey	Montreal Canadiens	5
1960–61	Doug Harvey	Montreal Canadiens	6
1961–62	Doug Harvey	New York Rangers	7
1962–63	Pierre Pilote	Chicago Black Hawks	1
1963–64	Pierre Pilote	Chicago Black Hawks	2
1964–65	Pierre Pilote	Chicago Black Hawks	3
1965–66	Jacques Laperriere	Montreal Canadiens	1
1966–67	Harry Howell	New York Rangers	1
1967–68	Bobby Orr	Boston Bruins	1
1968–69	Bobby Orr	Boston Bruins	2
1969–70	Bobby Orr	Boston Bruins	3
1970–71	Bobby Orr	Boston Bruins	4
1971–72	Bobby Orr	Boston Bruins	5
1972–73	Bobby Orr	Boston Bruins	6
1973–74	Bobby Orr	Boston Bruins	7
1974–75	Bobby Orr	Boston Bruins	8
1975–76	Denis Potvin	New York Islanders	1
1976–77	Larry Robinson	Montreal Canadiens	1
1977–78	Denis Potvin	New York Islanders	2
1978–79	Denis Potvin	New York Islanders	3
1979–80	Larry Robinson	Montreal Canadiens	2
1980–81	Randy Carlyle	Pittsburgh Penguins	1
1981–82	Doug Wilson	Chicago Black Hawks	1
1982–83	Rod Langway	Washington Capitals	1
1983–84	Rod Langway	Washington Capitals	2
1984–85	Paul Coffey	Edmonton Oilers	1
1985–86	Paul Coffey	Edmonton Oilers	2
1986–87	Ray Bourque	Boston Bruins	1
1987–88	Ray Bourque	Boston Bruins	2
1988–89	Chris Chelios	Montreal Canadiens	1
1989–90	Ray Bourque	Boston Bruins	3
1990–91	Ray Bourque	Boston Bruins	4
1991–92	Brian Leetch	New York Rangers	1
1992–93	Chris Chelios	Chicago Blackhawks	2
1993–94	Ray Bourque	Boston Bruins	5
1994–95	Paul Coffey	Detroit Red Wings	3
1995–96	Chris Chelios	Chicago Blackhawks	3
1996–97	Brian Leetch	New York Rangers	2
1997–98	Rob Blake	Los Angeles Kings	1
1998–99	Al MacInnis	St. Louis Blues	1
1999–2000	Chris Pronger	St. Louis Blues	1
2000–01	Nicklas Lidstrom	Detroit Red Wings	1
2001–02	Nicklas Lidstrom	Detroit Red Wings	2
2002–03	Nicklas Lidstrom	Detroit Red Wings	3
2003–04	Scott Niedermayer	New Jersey Devils	1
2004–05	zzz2004–05 NHL lockout – No winner	—	—
2005–06	Nicklas Lidstrom	Detroit Red Wings	4
2006–07	Nicklas Lidstrom	Detroit Red Wings	5
2007–08	Nicklas Lidstrom	Detroit Red Wings	6
2008–09	Zdeno Chara	Boston Bruins	1
2009–10	Duncan Keith	Chicago Blackhawks	1
2010–11	Nicklas Lidstrom	Detroit Red Wings	7
2011–12	Erik Karlsson	Ottawa Senators	1
2012–13	P. K. Subban	Montreal Canadiens	1
2013–14	Duncan Keith	Chicago Blackhawks	2
2014–15	Erik Karlsson	Ottawa Senators	2
2015–16	Drew Doughty	Los Angeles Kings	1
2016–17	Brent Burns	San Jose Sharks	1
2017–18	Victor Hedman	Tampa Bay Lightning	1
2018–19	Mark Giordano	Calgary Flames	1
2019–20	Roman Josi	Nashville Predators	1
2020–21	Adam Fox	New York Rangers	1
2021–22	Cale Makar	Colorado Avalanche	1
2022–23	Erik Karlsson	San Jose Sharks	3
2023–24	Quinn Hughes	Vancouver Canucks	1

Related pages

• List of NHL players
• List of NHL statistical leaders

References

General

• James Norris Memorial Trophy history at NHL.com
• James Norris Memorial Trophy history at Legends of Hockey.net

Specific