The defense, and what is required from the position, changed dramatically in recent seasons. It wasn’t long ago that for a team to have a great unit, the skaters needed to defend and send the puck up the ice to the forwards who would do the scoring. Now, defensemen are essentially asked to do it all.
It’s what makes ranking the defensive units a difficult task. A great unit needs to eliminate opposing offenses, that’s a given. Yet, they also must help set up the offense and create rush chances once the puck is turned over. On top of that, they must open things up in the offensive zone. along with the on-ice contributions, the skaters have to both have speed and skill to combat the speed and skill of the opposition but they must also have the toughness needed to deliver a big hit when needed.
Because a lot goes into play for a great defensive unit, a lot went into the rankings. The key defense stats, notably defensive point shares and blocked shots are the first to look at. After that, there are the scoring stats to look at, specifically goals and assists. These are based on last season’s numbers.
Then there are some eye test things to consider. How have some defensive units held up this season? Which ones are pointed to make a big impact in the playoffs? Which units make average goaltenders look good and good goaltenders look great? We look at the key skaters who anchor the unit but also how things shake up on each team’s later pairings as well.
Related: NHL Awards History: Oldest & Youngest Winners
Considering this article requires a lot of scrolling, let’s stop wasting time and dive right in!
Key Skaters: Alex Vlasic, Seth Jones, Connor Murphy
Depth Skaters: Wyatt Kaiser, T.J. Brodie
The Chicago Blackhawks were one of the busy teams in the past offseason and adding veteran blueliners was a part of that as they acquired both Alec Martinez and T.J. Brodie. The moves backfired with both veterans struggling and battling injuries. The unit as a whole looks terrible and a step back from last season’s group which was younger and more ideal for a rebuild. Kevin Korchinski was supposed to be one of the prospects on the defense who after a brief stint with the Blackhawks a season ago, would become a regular but instead, he’s spent most of this season in the American Hockey League (AHL). The defense lacks young building blocks and it’s given their goaltending no break either, leaving them near the bottom of the standings as a result.
Key Skaters: Mario Ferraro, Cody Ceci, Jake Walman
Depth Skaters: Jan Rutta, Henry Thrun
The San Jose Sharks have a promising rebuild in the works but not when it comes to their defense. They added Jake Walman and Cody Ceci in the offseason and the two have been good but not great. Ultimately, the unit still needs a young core player and possibly a few of them and aside from Henry Thrun, they don’t have them. It might be where the focus in the rebuild shifts as the young forwards are already in place.
Key Skaters: Pavel Mintyukov, Brian Dumoulin, Radko Gudas, Jacob Trouba
Depth Skaters: Olen Zellweger
The Anaheim Ducks allow a surplus of goals despite having one of the top goaltending tandems in the NHL. Why? It’s because of the defense which didn’t improve with the Jacob Trouba addition. The rebuild gave them Pavel Mintyukov and Olen Zellweger but the defense is otherwise older and not playing great. It’s safe to say, the Ducks will add some defensemen to the farm system moving forward.
Key Skaters: Travis Sanheim, Cameron York, Rasmus Ristolainen
Depth Skaters: Jamie Drysdale, Nick Seeler, Yegor Zamula
The Philadelphia Flyers have a mixed bag on defense. Travis Sanheim is one of the best two-way defensemen and one that not many hockey fans or experts talk about. Likewise, Jamie Drysdale, Cameron York, and the young skaters have high upside but the problem starts with them. They are inconsistent and it’s hurt the defense as a whole. The good news is that Rasmus Ristolainen is having a bounce-back season and it makes him a trade candidate who the front office can move to help out their rebuild.
Key Skaters: Mike Matheson, Lane Hutson
Depth Skaters: Arber Xhekaj, Kaiden Guhle, David Savard
Lane Hutson looks like one of the best young defensemen in the NHL and has put himself in the Calder Trophy discussion with his play on both ends of the ice. Mike Matheson is also playing at a high level and in his prime, is particularly thriving in the defensive zone. After that, the Montreal Canadiens defense has struggled this season. This is a season where they could have used Johnathan Kovacevic, Jordan Harris, or Alexander Romanov, all of whom were traded with the bet on the next generation to step up and fill their voids. So far, that bet hasn’t paid off and the top-heavy unit falls apart after Hutson and Matheson.
Key Skaters: Zach Werenski, Ivan Provorov, Damon Severson
Depth Skaters: Dante Fabbro
Zach Werenski is having a remarkable season and could end up in the Norris Trophy conversation at the end of the day and Ivan Provorov has been a shutdown defenseman throughout the season. On top of that, Dean Evason has done a great job coaching this team and the defense specifically has tightened up and played with more structure. The problem for the Columbus Blue Jackets is the depth or lack of it. While there are a few skaters in the pipeline who look poised to make an impact on the NHL team soon enough, there aren’t many young skaters making much of a difference for the Blue Jackets yet. It’s a downside to the David Jiricek trade, as the team had to move on from the former top-five pick earlier in this season.
Key Skaters: Philip Broberg, Colton Parayko, Justin Faulk, Cam Fowler
Depth Skaters: Ryan Suter
The offer sheet and addition of Phillip Broberg speak volumes about where the St. Louis Blues stand as an organization. He’s been a great addition but otherwise, they don’t have a lot working in their favor. The same can be said about the Cam Fowler addition, which gives them a veteran defenseman to fill in for an injured Torey Krug and keep a contending window open. After that, the group is older and it’s not ideal for a team that might have to rebuild soon.
Key Skaters: Roman Josi, Brady Skjei
Depth Skaters: Luke Schenn
The Nashville Predators made a few big signings in the offseason with the hopes of going from a borderline playoff team to a Cup contender. Brady Skjei was brought in to elevate the defense but his addition hasn’t done that. He’s played well often alongside Roman Josi, another elite defenseman but the rest of the unit has been awful. Juuse Saros is having a great season in the net but is getting no help from the defense which has been a liability on both ends of the ice.
Key Skaters: Vince Dunn, Brandon Montour, Adam Larsson
Depth Skaters: Ryker Evans, Jamie Oleksiak
Like the Skjei addition for the Predators, the Brandon Montour acquisition was supposed to put the Seattle Kraken defense over the top. It hasn’t. The reality is that this defense lacks reliable players outside of the top pair and it doesn’t help when Vince Dunn, a key part of the unit, takes a significant step back on the defensive end of the ice. It’s not just Dunn as a lot of key skaters on the defense have been underwhelming this season but outside of Montour and Larsson, the defense has let the Kraken down when it carried them in each of the past two season.
Key Skaters: Moritz Seider, Simon Edvinsson, Ben Chiarot
Depth Skaters: Erik Gustafsson, Jeff Petry
The good news is that the Todd McLellan hire has brought structure to the Detroit Red Wings and the defense, along with the team as a whole, has played better. The bad news is that overall, this remains a top-heavy group. Moritz Seider is making an impact on both ends of the ice and Simon Edvinsson is another young defenseman to build around but otherwise, the unit has struggled. It’s a downside to betting on Erik Gustafsson and Jeff Petry, two skaters well past their prime, to round out the unit.
Key Skaters: Kris Letang, Marcus Pettersson, Erik Karlsson
Depth Skaters: Matt Grzelcyk
The Pittsburgh Penguins are an aging team without much depth to help as the core slowly declines. This is particularly accurate when it comes to the defense. Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson are great but in their 30s and on the decline, with Letang notably underachieving this season. The Matt Grzelcyk addition has paid off and helped give the Penguins two reliable pairings but otherwise, this is a bad defense. Considering how poorly the goaltending has played, they could use a good unit and it’s why this team is one of the worst at preventing the puck from finding their net.
Key Skaters: MacKenzie Weegar, Rasmus Andersson, Kevin Bahl
Depth Skaters: Jake Bean, Daniil Miromanov
The teardown is in the past and the Calgary Flames can start building from the ground up. It’s allowed them to put together a young and impressive defensive unit. MacKenzie Weegar and Rasmus Andersson are the building blocks while Kevin Bahl and Daniil Miromanov have rounded out the unit. The Flames still need more depth on their blue line but it’s only a matter of time before this defense is one of the better ones in the league.
Key Skaters: Victor Hedman, Erik Cernak, Ryan McDonagh
Depth Skaters: JJ Moser
Victor Hedman is the motor of the defense and plays at a high level, even at 34 years old. He’s eventually going to decline but not this season and the same is true about aging skater Ryan McDonagh, who was acquired this offseason and once again, looks like the shutdown defenseman who helped them win the Cup in 2020 and 2021. The two things holding the Lightning back are the Mikhail Sergachev trade, something that will hurt this team in the long run, and the lack of depth, which is an issue for the roster as a whole but the defensive unit in particular.
Key Skaters: Mikhail Sergachev, Ian Cole, Michael Kesselring
Depth Skaters: Sean Durzi, Olli Maatta, Juuso Valimaki
The Utah Hockey Club has a promising young forward unit with plenty of elite prospects. So, what better way to help that group out than with a defense built to win now? Sergachev was the big addition and is the star expected to carry the unit but he’s only done so much. The good news is that the other skaters have also stepped up to ultimately give them a good but far-from-great unit.
Key Skaters: Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm, Brandon Carlo, Nikita Zadorov
Depth Skaters: Andrew Peeke
The Boston Bruins declined across the board this season. The defensive unit is one of the bright spots but it’s also taken a significant step back, going from a top-five group to average at best. Charlie McAvoy and Nikita Zadorov are playing well but the rest of the unit has struggled. If things don’t improve, the Bruins might end up trading Brandon Carlo, a core part of the group but a player who can get them a good return in a deal as well.
Key Skaters: Rasmus Dahlin, Bowen Byram, Owen Power
Depth Skaters: Mattias Samuelsson, Henri Jokiharju
The talent is on the defense but the unit as a whole has struggled, such is the life of the Buffalo Sabres, a team where the players are good but the team isn’t. Rasmus Dahlin is one of the best defensemen in the league who flies under the radar while Owen Power and Bowen Byram are two youn two-way players to build around. The defense falls apart after that and it shouldn’t, especially since Mattias Samuelsson is paid like a top-four option but isn’t playing like one.
Key Skaters: Gustav Forsling, Aaron Ekblad
Depth Skaters: Niko Mikkola, Dmitry Kulikov, Nate Schmidt
When the Florida Panthers made their Cup run and won the title in 2024, they did it with the help of a great defensive unit. They lost Brandon Montour and Oliver Ekman-Larsson in the offseason and this season, the absence of both is noticeable as the defense has taken a step back. They still have Gustav Forsling, one of the best stay-at-home defensemen in the game, and Aaron Ekblad is healthy and playing at a high level but the defense is a position that they will target with the hopes of another deep playoff run.
Key Skaters: Cale Makar, Devon Toews, Samuel Girard
Depth Skaters: Josh Manson
The Colorado Avalanche are putting to the test how far a top-heavy roster, without much else, can take a team. Their defense, and roster altogether, is a flawed one and possibly one of the worst in the league. It doesn’t matter with the star power bailing them out. Cale Makar is the best defenseman in the NHL and can win the Norris Trophy with his great play across the board while Devon Toews is one of the best two-way defensemen in the game who often goes unnoticed because of Makar’s remarkable play. then the rest of the unit is terrible, leaving this defense in the middle of the pack.
Key Skaters: Noah Dobson, Alexander Romanov, Ryan Pulock, Adam Pelech
Depth Skaters: Isaiah George, Scott Mayfield
The New York Islanders are near the bottom of the Metropolitan Division but defense isn’t the reason why. Noah Dobson and Alexander Romanov are the anchors of the unit and the duo is the future, one the team can build around. Adam Pelech, Ryan Pulock, and Scott Mayfield are showing their age but still limiting scoring chances for opponents. The X-factor is Isaiah George who is the young defenseman on this unit who can take them to the next level but he’s going through growing pains as well. While the Islanders don’t have scorers on their defense, they are still a great team in their own end.
Key Skaters: Adam Fox, K’Andre Miller
Depth Skaters: Ryan Lindgren, Braden Schneider
Oh, how the mighty have fallen. The New York Rangers have a mess on defense after being dominant last season. They lost Erik Gustafsson in the offseason and then Jacob Trouba was traded early on in the season but the unit has fallen off along with the loss of both skaters. Adam Fox is still one of the best in the NHL, Braden Schneider is a pleasant surprise and K’Andre Miller is putting together a strong season. Otherwise, the Rangers have a bad defense that hasn’t given their goaltenders any breaks.
Key Skaters: Jakob Chychrun, John Carlson, Matt Roy
Depth Skaters: Martin Fehervary, Rasmus Sandin
The Washington Capitals had themselves quite the offseason as they added Jakob Chychrun in a big trade while also acquiring Matt Roy this offseason to bolster the defense. Chychrun is one of the better two-way defensemen in the game, giving the Capitals a second option at the point to go with John Carlson, while Roy is great in the defensive zone.
Suddenly, the Capitals have a complete defense that has three great pairings and with the forward unit also improving, this team has been one of the surprises in the NHL. The defense can limit opposing offenses while also opening up the offense at the point and it’s helped the Capitals become one of the best teams in the Metropolitan Division.
Key Skaters: Quinn Hughes, Filip Hronek, Tyler Myers
Depth Skaters: Carson Soucy, Vincent Desharnais
Where would the Vancouver Canucks be without Quinn Hughes? He won the Norris Trophy after last season and might win it again because of his ability to keep the defense and the team afloat. The defense hasn’t been the same this season as it’s lacked the depth and chemistry that made it a special group a season ago. Losing Filip Hronek for multiple weeks with an injury didn’t help either but the big issue is that the Canucks have struggled to replace Ian Cole and Nikita Zadorov, two staples for the unit in the back half of last season who left in the offseason.
Key Skaters: Michael Anderson, Vladislav Gavrikov
Key Players: Joel Edmundson, Brandt Clarke
It seems like replacing Drew Doughty is an impossible task. The future Hall of Famer went down to injury in the preseason and the Los Angeles Kings have been forced to fill the void left by the star defenseman. They’ve managed to do just that. It starts with Michael Anderson and Vladislav Gavrikov but the young Brandt Clarke is a big part of their success as well. Now the Kings just hope this defense is good enough to stop the Edmonton Oilers and their high-powered offense in the playoffs.
Key Skaters: Thomas Chabot, Nick Jensen, Jake Sanderson
Depth Skaters: Artem Zub, Tyler Kleven
The Jakob Chychrun trade is looking like a win-win. The Ottawa Senators landed Nick Jensen in the deal and he’s been a perfect addition to the defense. Jensen’s a stay-at-home option that rounds out the top four which has Thomas Chabot, a motor who never stops, Jake Sanderson, and Artem Zub. Tyler Kleven has been a pleasant surprise as well to take the unit up a notch. The Senators are known for their forwards but their defense is what’s taken a big step forward and has them in the playoff picture.
Key Skaters: Miro Heiskanen, Esa Lindell, Thomas Harley
Depth Skaters: Ilya Lyubushkin, Nils Lundkvist
The defense might be the weakest unit the Dallas Stars have and it’s one area they must improve. That said, they still have a great group led by some elite skaters. Miro Heiskanen has already made his mark as a top two-way defenseman while Thomas Harley is also great and at 23, he’ll be a key part of the team for years to come. The problem is that after that, the unit isn’t great and it’s why the defense is where they’ll likely improve for a Cup run.
Key Skaters: Brock Faber, Jacob Middleton, Jonas Brodin
Depth Skaters: Zach Bogosian, Jared Spurgeon
The Minnesota Wild are having a great season and it can be credited largely to the defense. Brock Faber is one of the best young players in the NHL and after finishing second in the Calder Trophy voting last season, he’s having a remarkable season. Faber’s the anchor but the other skaters have done a great job rounding out the unit. The Wild need a better scoring presence to make a playoff run but otherwise, this unit checks all the boxes.
Key Skaters: Alex Pietrangelo, Noah Hanifin, Shea Theodore, Brayden McNabb
Depth Skaters: Nicolas Hague, Zach Whitecloud
The Vegas Golden Knights always seem to have a great defense from the top down, at least since the founding of the franchise, and this season is no exception. Alex Pietrangelo is a great two-way player while Brayden McNabb is shutting teams down in the defensive zone. Noah Hanifin was acquired at the 2024 trade deadline and he’s been great as well. The Golden Knights are a team to beat in the Western Conference and the defense is one of the reasons why.
Key Skaters: Dougie Hamilton, Brenden Dillon, Johnathan Kovacevic, Jonas Seigenthaler
Depth Skaters: Luke Hughes, Brett Pesce
The New Jersey Devils overhauled their defense in the offseason and the gamble paid off big time. They brought in Brett Pesce, Johnathan Kovacevic, and Brenden Dillon to add size and structure to the blue line. Suddenly, the unit is incredible. Kovacevic and Dillon are shutting down opponents and with Dougie Hamilton and Luke Hughes making an impact at the point, this unit is built to win in the playoffs. The Devils have speed, size, and skill on their defense to go along with a forward unit that has all those things as well.
Key Skaters: Evan Bouchard, Mattias Ekholm, Darnell Nurse
Depth Skaters: Ty Emberson, Brett Kulak
Last season and the playoff run proved that the Edmonton Oilers are more than just Connor McDavid. They have a great defense and were noticeably better once Kris Knoblauch was hired. He made them a structured team that would limit the shots on the net and they did just that. Evan Bouchard and Mattias Ekholm are the leaders of the group but the Oilers also saw Darnell Nurse and the depth skaters step up. Losing Ceci and Broberg is tough but considering the way Bouchard is developing and turning into a star from the point and the Ty Emberson addition which has added youth to the blue line, this unit has remained great.
Key Skaters: Morgan Rielly, Jake McCabe, Chris Tanev, Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Depth Skaters: Conor Timmins, Simon Benoit
The Toronto Maple Leafs made big moves to turn the defense into a strength both in the regular season and for a playoff run. Chris Tanev might be the best addition for any team this offseason as he’s been one of the best defensemen in the NHL this season. Likewise, Oliver Ekman-Larsson has been a key part of this group and with Morgan Rielly and Jake McCabe already part of this group, the Maple Leafs defense has been remarkable.
The defense might not hold up in the long run as the Tanev signing gives them a 34-year-old skater who isn’t getting younger. It’s a contract that in all likelihood, won’t age well. That said, it won’t matter if the Maple Leafs make a run at the Cup, which this defense sets them up to do.
Key Skaters: Jaccob Slavin, Brent Burns, Shayne Gostibehere, Dmitry Orlov
Depth Skaters: Jalen Chatfield
The Carolina Hurricanes looked poised to take a step back when they lost Brady Skjei and Brett Pesce in the offseason. On the contrary, the defense looks even better. The Shayne Gostisbehere addition is why as he’s been great across the board, creating scoring chances in the offensive zone while stepping up in the defensive zone as well. Jaccob Slavin remains one of the best stay-at-home skaters in the game and Dmitry Orlov has stepped up in the defensive zone as well, giving the team little to no weaknesses. So, what keeps this defense from being the best? The first issue is a decline with age, notably with Brent Burns who isn’t making as big an impact at the point. That leads to the other issue, which is that the unit isn’t making as much of a difference in the offensive zone. The unit is still one of the best but not the best in the NHL.
Key Skaters: Josh Morrissey, Dylan DeMelo, Neal Pionk
Depth Skaters: Colin Miller, Dylan Samberg
The Winnipeg Jets have the best goaltender in the game, which helps out the defense but this unit has been remarkable. Josh Morrissey and Neal Poink have been great on both ends of the ice while Dylan DeMelo is a great stay-at-home option. While Connor Hellebuyck compensates for the errors made by this defense, they have a group that does it all. The Jets shut down opponents. They skaters with the best of them. They open up the offense at the point and can score. It’s why this defense is the best in the NHL.
The best thing about ranking defensive units is that everyone has their own way of evaluating the position. Some prefer to have a unit that creates more offense while others want one that is great on the defensive end with everything else being extra. Likewise, there are plenty of defenses that are preferred because they have the speed and puck-moving ability suited for the modern game while other defenses are a throwback because they have size and deliver big hits that have the crowd jumping.
All this is to say that these rankings are sure to leave some readers annoyed and eager to submit their own rankings. Do you think these rankings are accurate? Let us know in the comments section below!
Statistics were obtained from Hockey Reference and rosters were available courtesy of PuckPedia because CapFriendly was a sellout (boo).
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