4 Darkhorse Candidates for the 2027 Norris Trophy – The Hockey Writers – Rankings and Lists

The 2026 Norris Trophy was one of the most loaded categories in recent memory. Zach Werenski claimed the award for the first time, with five other candidates earning at least 350 total votes along the way.

Heading into the 2026-27 season, expected the field to be crowded once again. The best defensemen in the league are all heading into their primes, and four names could break through and earn serious attention as a potential finalist for the Norris.

Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars

The 27-year-old defenseman has been one of the game’s premier defenders for some time. He has already shown that his biggest game shows up in the biggest moments, and he returned to the upper crust of NHL defensemen with a strong 2025-26 season.

In perhaps any other season, Heiskanen – nine goals and 63 points, averaging more than 25 minutes per night – would have been a finalist. In a stacked class, he finished eighth in voting.

The Dallas Stars have a lot to prove this season, especially after a first-round exit at the hands of the Minnesota Wild. If the Stars want to finally break through and make a run to the Cup, they will need Heiskanen to kick his game into another gear.

Moritz Seider, Detroit Red Wings

Of the “dark horse” candidates listed here, Seider seems most likely to break into the upper echelon of NHL defenders this season. He had strong backing for Norris Trophy votes in 2025-26, ultimately finishing fifth in voting.

Seider, 25, has become one of the game’s most complete defenders. He hit career-highs offensively across the board last season – 10 goals, 60 points, and averaging 25:40 of ice time per night – while playing shutdown defense and providing a physical edge.

Things might not be so great in Detroit, but having an elite No. 1 defenseman like Seider will keep the Red Wings from bottoming out. He has another gear he can hit, and if the Red Wings are finally going to get back into the playoffs, it will be on his back.

Jake Sanderson, Ottawa Senators

Like the Red Wings, the Ottawa Senators are in a transitional phase. Brady Tkachuk was sent packing, and now Sanderson seems to be one of the likely choices to take over the captaincy and lead the team to new heights.

Sanderson received niche support for the Norris a season ago (16 votes) and isn’t one of the odds-on favorites to capture the award in 2026-27. That said, he is set firmly among the game’s elite defenders.

Last season, Sanderson scored a career-high 14 goals and 54 points in 13 fewer games than the season prior. He was also a key contributor on the gold-medal-winning Team USA at the Winter Olympics and averaged a career-high 24:50 per night with the Senators. At 24 years old, he is on the cusp of being a perennial Norris Trophy contender.

Adam Fox, New York Rangers

Some might think that Fox took a step back in 2025-26, but he was still excellent when he wasn’t hurt. Despite playing 19 fewer games, he finished just one goal and seven assists shy of his previous season’s totals. Fox is still an elite puck-moving defenseman, and one of the game’s best power-play quarterbacks. He is the piece that makes the New York Rangers go, as evidenced by his five power-play goals (just one shy of his career-high) last season.

Fox is still an elite No. 1 defenseman, and a return to health should see him within striking distance of a Norris nomination. He’s been there before – he won the 2021 Norris Trophy and finished second in voting two seasons after that. He is a workhorse, an elite two-way defender, and a healthy season will get him back to the forefront of Norris candidates.

Can Any Player Unseat Werenski, Makar?

The simple fact is that we may be witnessing the best class of No. 1 defensemen in NHL history. These four have been good enough to win the award in multiple seasons, but Werenski, Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, Rasmus Dahlin, Evan Bouchard, and Lane Huston are all threats to win it as well, and that’s not even mentioning the 2026 Calder Trophy winner Matthew Schaefer.

Each of the defensemen listed here is integral to their team’s success. All four are on teams with something to prove, and a statement season could be what it takes for them to earn Norris Trophy recognition.