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Oilers’ Evan Bouchard not among finalists for 2026 Norris Trophy
Edmonton Oilers Evan Bouchard
Photo credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
Zach Laing
May 7, 2026, 12:30 EDTUpdated: May 7, 2026, 12:40 EDT
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Despite a regular season that saw him lead all defencemen in scoring by 14 points, Evan Bouchard’s tremendous 2025-26 season won’t earn him a Norris Trophy.
The Edmonton Oilers defenceman was not named among the three finalists named for the award Thursday morning. Instead, Colorado Avalanche defenceman Cale Makar, Columbus Blue Jackets defenceman Zach Werenski, and Buffalo Sabres defenceman Rasmus Dahlin were named as the three finalists vying for the award.
Bouchard appeared in all 82 games for the Oilers, scoring 21 goals and 95 points, averaging a career high 24:41 in ice time per game. Not only was he the Oilers’ go-to-defenceman at five-on-five, continuing to quarterback the power play, Bouchard added penalty kill work to his resume, leading all Oilers defenceman in PK time on ice, playing 147:52. Makar played one minute less on the penalty kill than Bouchard this season, while Werenski played 91 minutes, and Dahlin 63 minutes. Bouchard became just the ninth defenceman in league history to score more than 20 goals and 95 points in a single season.
Bouchard drove offence at a 10 per cent rate above league average, as his even-strength and penalty contributions sat at league average rates, according to HockeyViz. His overall contributions have him at a rate of an elite defenceman.
Comparing Bouchard to the top three finalists, the Oilers blue liner led the group in games played, assists, points, power play goals, game winning goals and point share, according to Stathead Hockey. He was second in goals and shots on goal to Werenski, and finished second in plus-minus to Makar (25 to 32).
Among all defenceman this season, according to Hockey Stats, Werenski (4.56) and Bouchard (4.23) were ranked first and second in the league in Wins Above Replacement, while Dahlin (2.3) and Makar (2.15) ranked 19th and 21st.
Bouchard has received Norris votes twice before in his career, finishing fifth in 2023-24 and 11th in 2024-25.
Time will tell where Bouchard ends up on the ballot, as voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association, but some are surprised he didn’t finish in the top-three spots.
Among them are the Oilers themselves, who called out the PHWA in a post showing off some of his great defensive plays and offensive plays.
Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s managing editor, and The Nation Network’s news director. He also makes up one-half of the Daily Faceoff DFS Hockey Report. He can be followed on X at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach.laing@bettercollective.com.

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