NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Colorado Avalanche at Dallas Stars - Source: Imagn — Cale Makar wins 2025 Norris Trophy, Nathan MacKinnon and teammates celebrate (Source: Imagn)

Nathan MacKinnon sends amusing message to Cale Makar for winning 2025 Norris Trophy - "Feels like you have 10, apparently it's only 2"

Modified Jun 12, 2025 07:23 GMT

Cale Makar won the 2025 James Norris Memorial Trophy, and his teammate Nathan MacKinnon couldn’t help but poke some fun. The Colorado Avalanche star defenseman won the trophy for the second time in his career.

In a video shared by the Avalanche, MacKinnon congratulated Makar with a friendly message.

“Caler, Congratulations on your Norris,” MacKinnon said in the video shared on Instagram. “Feels like you have 10. Apparently it's only two, unbelievable. I think we’re all very lucky to play with you man. You make our lives very easy. Obviously, one of the best players in the league, best d-man in the world. Congratulations and many more to come, I’m sure.”

In the same video, teammate Devon Toews also congratulated Makar:

"Cale, Congrats on your second Norris Trophy. I'm sure you'd have 3 or 4 more, If I wasn't anchoring you down, but super proud of you."

Denver Broncos star Pat Surtain II, who won the 2024 NFL Defensive Player of the Year award, also congratulated Makar.

“What’s going on Cale. I want to give a huge congratulations from one defensive player of the year to another,” Surtain II said, in the video posted on X by Avs. “Congrats on another big award. Congrats man.”

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Makar earned his second Norris Trophy after a standout 2024-25 season. He led all NHL defensemen with 30 goals and 92 points. Makar previously won the award in 2021-22 and has been a finalist five seasons in a row.

Cale Makar receives trophy as a surprise from friends and family

With this Norris Trophy win, Cale Makar joins a legendary group of NHL defensemen. He is just the sixth to win it twice within his first six NHL seasons.

Only five others have done that: Bobby Orr, Denis Potvin, Rod Langway, Paul Coffey and Erik Karlsson. Additionally, there are only 14 players now who have won the award more than once.

Makar was surprised with the news of his win while golfing with friends and family. His parents surprised him with the trophy.

"My first thought was honestly that one of the boys that I was playing with won some golf trophy and it was a surprise," Makar said via NHL.com about receiving the surprise from his close ones.

At just 26, Cale Makar continues to build a legacy as one of the league’s top blueliners.

About the author

Abhilasha is an NHL writer at Sportskeeda. Holding a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, her interest in writing hockey was piqued after watching an NHL skills video on YouTube. The 2023 Stanley Cup Finale series between the Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers was among the most iconic games she has seen and it left an impact on her.

Her reporting strengths include covering news stories and following stars like McDavid, Matthews and Alex Ovechkin, among others.

Abhilasha is a huge fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche because of their skilled forwards, while her favorite players include Wayne Gretzky, Auston Matthews, Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby and Connor Bedard. For her, John Tortorella is the greatest coach ever.

Abhilasha has over 3 years of experience writing content for different products and websites, along with handling social media content for various brands. She values using credible sources when writing and likes to identify fake and false narratives.

Abhilasha’s hobbies include spiritual reading, staying updated on the latest makeup trends, fitness and exploring new destinations through travel.

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