Evan Bouchard’s early-season struggles are a distant memory. After going pointless in his first six games, he has since erupted for 56 points in 48 games and a plus-16 rating. With under 30 games remaining, he’s tied with Cale Makar for the NHL lead among defencemen in points.

put an exclamation point on his fantastic run with a six-point game against the Capitals last weekend, turning heads across the hockey world. People are starting to recognize his recent brilliance, but could it be enough to propel him to a Norris Trophy?

His highest rank in Norris voting was fifth, which came in 2023-24, when he scored 18 goals and tallied 82 points. Since October 21st of this year, he’s on a 24-goal and 96-point pace and there’s a high probability that he shatters those previous career-highs.

What makes this recent run even more impressive is that Bouchard is posting his best numbers against higher-quality competition. According to Puck IQ, he is facing elite competition in 34.8 percent of his time on ice, up from 31.8 percent in 2023-24. If Bouchard keeps producing at this rate while handling the toughest minutes of his career, it becomes difficult to keep him outside of the Norris conversation.

Norris Trophy race: A direct comparison

Bouchard is playing some of his personal best hockey this season, but how does it compare to other top defencemen in the Norris Trophy race? Here is how the market currently ranks them on Bet365:

Right now, it’s Makar’s........

© Oilers Nation