If we're being honest, Quinn Hughes deserves to win this year's Norris Trophy.

Hughes leads all NHL defensemen in points (76). He's been the Vancouver Canucks' guiding force on the back end, carrying them to the top of the Western Conference with a month left to play.

But — since we're being honest — it's time for the Nashville Predators' Roman Josi to be in the conversation for Norris Trophy finalist.

With two assists Wednesday against Winnipeg, including this angled stretch pass to Gustav Nyquist, Josi now has 50 assists this season. It's the second time in his career he's reached that mark. The last time it happened, he finished runner-up to Colorado's Cale Makar for the Norris in 2022.

Makar is having another Norris-worthy season this year, but consider where Josi ranks among defensemen for a moment.

Roman Josi surging in second half of season

As of Wednesday, Josi has 65 points, good for third among all defensemen. He's tied for second in goals (15), fifth in assists (50), and fourth in points scored at even strength (38).

Josi's also been the league's highest-scoring blueliner in the second half of the season. Since Jan. 1, Josi has 36 points — four more than Hughes and five more than Makar.

"He's a fun player to watch," head coach Andrew Brunette said about his captain, labeling Josi's Feb. 27 game against Ottawa "his best game of the year."

Since then, Josi has eight points in his past seven games. He's been a crucial factor in the Predators' active 13-game point streak, during which he's scored 16 points, including four goals.

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Josi's decisive action in the offensive zone always has been a strength, but he's been especially lethal in the second half of this season. His ability to gain the zone with speed, find scoring opportunities around the net and put his teammates in position to score goals has been on full display the past month.

Fair or not, the Norris has always been a points-driven award for defensemen. That said, Josi is far from dead weight in the defensive end, something that voters always consider. Every night, Josi takes on the toughest matchups and can be seen making key plays in the defensive end to prevent chances on the Nashville net.

Josi won the Norris Trophy in 2020 on the strength of his offensive production. He finished second in points (65) to John Carlson (75) during a year shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic. It was clear the voters leaned towards Josi based on his defensive skills combined with his offensive output.

This season, it may take another surge of increased point production from Josi to become a finalist. But with less than four weeks left in the season, it's time to start talking about it.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville Predators' Roman Josi deserves Norris Trophy consideration