Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard didn't mince words when discussing his exclusion from the 2025–26 Norris Trophy finalist list—and frankly, hockey fans everywhere are scratching their heads. The NHL announced Rasmus Dahlin, Cale Makar, and Zach Werenski as the three finalists on May 7, leaving Bouchard on the outside despite a historic offensive campaign.

Speaking candidly on TSN's OverDrive, Bouchard admitted the snub hit hard. "When I saw that come out, I was definitely upset a little bit," he said. "But you can't really let that bother you. You don't really think about it too much during the season. You got a bigger picture team thing." The 25-year-old blueliner added, "Stings a little bit, but you know what? You get back at it, and you forget about it."

And there's plenty of reason for Bouchard to feel frustrated. He led all NHL defensemen with an eye-popping 95 points this season—21 goals and 74 assists across 82 games. That kind of production places him in rarefied air, joining an elite group of defensemen who have cracked the 90-point plateau in a single season. Even in the playoffs, he managed 7 points in just 6 games, showing his offensive game translates when the stakes are highest.

Historically, a 95-point season from a defenseman is almost a guaranteed Norris nomination. In most years, it would make you the front-runner for the award outright. But this season, voters clearly valued more than just raw offensive numbers.

Makar, despite fewer points (79), anchored the league's top penalty kill and helped drive a Presidents' Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche team. Dahlin (74 points) transformed the Buffalo Sabres into a division champion, showcasing his two-way impact. And Werenski (81 points) carried massive minutes for the Columbus Blue Jackets while leading their offense from the back end—a workload that impressed voters.

To his credit, Bouchard acknowledged the stiff competition. "There's a lot of great defensemen in the league, so it's kinda hard to pick between three of them," he admitted.

But context matters here, too. The Oilers struggled mightily defensively as a team, finishing 25th in goals against. That team-wide regression likely hurt Bouchard's case, as voters often weigh overall defensive impact alongside individual offensive brilliance. For a player producing at an elite offensive level on a team that struggled in its own zone, the Norris Trophy conversation becomes more complicated.

At the end of the day, Bouchard's 95-point season is one for the history books—even if the hardware doesn't reflect it this year. With his offensive game only continuing to evolve, don't be surprised if this snub fuels an even bigger campaign next season.