2026 NHL Defenseman Rankings: The Top 50 Blueliners Driving the Game
Following up from last week’s post on the top forwards in the NHL, it’s time to shift focus to the blue line.
A top-end modern NHL defenseman needs to maintain puck possession, suppress offense against the other team’s best lines, and contribute offensively.
To find out who truly drives winning hockey from the back end, I ranked every defenseman (min. 20 GP) across six key metrics:
Points per 60: The gold standard for offensive efficiency.
5v5 Goals Boost: Team goal differential with the player on vs. off the ice.
5v5 xGoals Boost: Using Expected Goals to filter out "puck luck" and identify who is actually tilting the ice.
Unblocked Shot Attempts per 60: A player’s ability to get the puck through traffic.
% of 5v5 TOI against Elites: How much of your time on ice is tasked shutting down the other team’s best?
5v5 High Danger Shots Against per 60: A chance suppression metric.
By aggregating these rankings, we get a comprehensive look at the modern game's most impactful defenders. Let’s dive into the Top 50.
50. John Klingberg, SJS: While he gives up a lot of high danger shots against, the Sharks have a better goal share with Klingberg on the ice. He’s also an important contributor on the PP.
49. Damon Severson, CBJ: Columbus has an 8% higher expected goal share with Severson on vs off. He also plays in all game states, and has scored respectfully in a small role on the power play.
48. Mike Matheson, MTL: Matheson plays 50% of his 5v5 minutes against elite competition, the highest mark in the league. On top of this, he also has a positive impact on Montreal’s scoring rates.
47. Louis Crevier, CHI: The relatively unknown 7th round pick from 2020 has spiked this year. He’s deployed against other team’s top lines and used on the penalty kill. He’s also very good at getting the puck through traffic with 8.44 unblocked shot attempts per 60.
46. Travis Sanheim, PHI: While average offensively, the Olympian anchoring Philly’s top pair. Sanheim consistently posts respectable on-ice results against a steady diet of top competition.
45. Mattias Samuelsson, BUF: The Sabres score 59% of goals with Samuelsson on, and only 47% off. He’s also taken a major step offensively, having already doubled his previous career high in points in only 55 games.
44. Drew Doughty, LAK: The points haven’t come easily for Doughty this year, but he is doing everything else well. He plays 37% of his time against top comp, gets shots through at the 22nd best rate in the league and LA posts a 55% expected goals rate with him on the ice. Expect some regression in his scoring numbers.
43. Philip Broberg, STL: The Oilers could really use a guy like Broberg… Though it’s a tough year in St. Louis, Broberg helps the Blues out a ton at even strength with his strong skating and puck moving skills.
42. Erik Karlsson, PIT: Future Hall-of-Famer. Karlsson is a huge offensive catalyst for the Pens this year. He’s a mainstay on the 4th ranked PP, and is great at getting the puck to Pittsburgh’s high end forwards in transition.
40. Nick Blankenburg, NSH: A shrewd UFA signing by the Preds, Blankenburg is doing a lot with minimal ice time. He’s found a home on the powerplay, scoring 5.3 points/60 with the man advantage. While the Preds are only scoring 42% of the goal share at even strength, his expected goals are at 55%.
39. Jonas Brodin, MIN: One of the better defensive dmen in the league. Allows a stingy 1.61 dangerous shots against per 60 while playing 36% of his time against elites. Minnesota is elite with him on the ice.
38. Cale Makar, COL: A down year by his standards, and somewhat weighed down in this ranking by his incredible team metrics, Makar is still among the point leaders while spending a ton of time playing against the league’s best.
37. Sam Malinski, COL: A breakout season for the Cornell alumni. Gets minimal time on special teams, but ranks 8th in the league in unblocked shots per 60, while owning nearly 70% of the goal share on ice.
36. Noah Hanifin, VGK: A mainstay on one of the best blue lines in the league, Hanifin contributes across many metrics. 56% expected goals, 7.8 unblocked shots per 60 and 31% of his TOI against Elites.
35. Mattias Ekholm, EDM: Ekholm is a bright spot on the relatively disappointing Oilers. He boosts goal share by 10%, plays against the other team’s best, and is a sneaky good producer without powerplay time.
34. Nate Schmidt, UTA: Fresh off a cup, the veteran has settled in nicely on the Mammoth. He’s playing great at even strength, boosting Utah’s goal share by 17% and their expected goal share by 8%. He’s a +28 this year.
33. Jackson LaCombe, ANA: Everyone was shocked when he signed a $72M contract this summer, but LaCombe has held his own this year. He plays 24:30 per night across all disciplines and has put up 37 points. At just 25 years of age, he’ll be a steal as the cap continues to increase.
32. Jakob Chychrun, WSH: Never afraid to let it fly, Chychrun leads the league by a mile in unblocked shot attempts with 12.7 per 60 (next closest is Werenski at 11.7). His offensive instincts turn the Capitals into a scoring machine during his minutes. He’s at 2.05 points per 60 at all disciplines while outscoring at a 66% goal share at 5v5.
31. Ryan McDonagh, TBL: Though he hasn’t been healthy, when he is playing, the 36 year old is having a career resurgence. He’s only allowing 0.86 dangerous shots per 60 minutes with 43% of them coming against elite competition. He’s had some bad puck luck though with a 48% goal share on 60% expected.
30. Ian Moore, ANA: The Harvard graduate has carved out a growing role on the Ducks. He’s got the puck headed in the right direction, with a 56% expected goal share, while allowing only 1.4 dangerous shots per 60 mins. He only plays 14 minutes a night, but he gets a respectable dose of top competition. Look for him to grow as a shutdown dman.
29. Lane Hutson, MTL: The high flying Hab is lighting up the scoresheet this year with over a point per game and a 59% goal share at evens. He’s more of a distributor than a shooter though, so he’s likely benefiting from playing with stars like Caufield and Suzuki. St. Louis has also deployed Matheson as his tough minutes dman, so he’s playing slightly sheltered minutes. Still, a hugely bright future ahead.
28. John Carlson, WSH: The Team USA snub is putting up another great season. He’s produced at even strength, plays tougher competition and allows fewer high danger shots against than Chychrun. In my opinion, John Carlson will have a strong Hall-of-Fame bid at the end of his career.
27. Matthew Schaefer, NYI: The rookie has absolutely taken the league by storm. 39 points and a +9 while playing 24:05 as an 18 year old is unheard of. New York experiences a 10% goal share swing when he takes the ice. The sky is the limit.
26. Roman Josi, NSH: The Josi praise has quieted in recent years, but he’s still putting up sublime results. He’s the 12th ranked defenseman in both points (2.14) and unblocked shot attempts (9.53). As a UFA in 2028, and an upcoming GM change in Nashville, one has to wonder if he’ll be on the market for a new team in the next year or so.
25. Brock Faber, MIN: A do-it-all defenseman for the Wild, Faber has been paired up with newcomer Quinn Hughes and has been dominant ever since. Typically a steady producer, he’s racked up 14 points in his lat 15 games and is playing over 26 minutes per night in all scenarios.
24. Josh Manson, COL: Definitely not my first guess for a top ranking defenseman on the year. However, Manson has quietly been putting up excellent results. 66% goal share, 1.59 dangerous shots against/60 and 24 points with no power play time. He’s an eye popping +37.
23. Olen Zellweger, ANA: In what has recently been a crowded system of defensive prospects, Zellweger has set himself apart this season. The 22 year old is boosting Anaheim’s goal share by 10% and shutting down opposition allowing only 1.8 dangerous shots against per 60. He’s only getting 17 minutes of icetime a night. I wonder if a smart team would target him in the offseason.
22. Rasmus Dahlin, BUF: An immensely skilled player, who is never afraid to shoot the puck. Dahlin is 9th in scoring rate, and 11th in unblocked shot attempts league wide among dmen. Due to Buffalo’s poor start, he’s still catching up to the top of the league in 5v5 goal share. It’s a toss up between him and Tuch as to who is Buffalo’s best player.
21. Brent Burns, COL: At 40 years old, Brent Burns is playing some incredible hockey. He’s lost a ton of PP time as he’s now playing behind Makar, but he’s still put up 26 points on the season. He’s scoring 1.70 points and allowing 1.43 high danger shots against every 60 minutes. It’s more likely that he gets a point than gives up a high danger chance at 5v5. Let that sink in.
20. Artem Zub, OTT: Travis Green loves playing Zub against the other team’s best lines. He plays the 11th toughest minutes in the league, and he has the 7th best high danger shot suppression rate. Pound for pound one of the best defensive dmen in the league, who gets overshadowed due to poor goaltending.
19. Jaccob Slavin, CAR: Slavin never puts up gaudy numbers, but he is one of the best at his position in the world. He suppresses chances against, and as a result, swings Carolina’s goal share from 53% to 65% when he jumps on the ice despite playing against a very high level of competition.
18. Quinn Hughes, MIN: Hughes’ ranking has been weighed down by his time spent on Vancouver this year. However, it’s hard to say he hasn’t been one of the top 2 or 3 dmen in the league since joining the Wild. A perennial Norris contender and a point producing machine.
17. Evan Bouchard, EDM: The league’s most polarizing defenseman. One thing is for sure, he does more good than bad. However, when it’s bad, it’s downright awful. Bouchard puts up elite numbers across the board in all but one metric: dangerous shots against, where he ranks 226th among dmen. If he were league average at dangerous chance suppression, he’d rank inside the top 5.
16. Filip Hronek, VAN: A great player on an awful team. Hronek swings Vancouvers goal shares by 20% despite playing the most difficult minutes on the team. He’s also chipping in offensively this year at evens and on the PP.
15. Brandon Montour, SEA: Quietly having an excellent season for the Kraken. Absolutely loves shooting the puck and suppresses dangerous chances against. He’s also really improved his productivity on the powerplay this year, scoring at his highest rate since 2022-23.
14. Miro Heiskanen, DAL: The Finnish superstar has been playing excellently all season long. He’s a strong outscorer, is in the top 20 in point production, and doesn’t make his goalies work too hard. Being nit-picky, one area of his game that has dipped slightly this year is his shooting. He is taking less shot attempts now than at any point over the past 4 seasons.
13. Jordan Spence, OTT: Spence plays sheltered minutes in Ottawa (24% vs elites), but is playing incredibly in his role. He swings goal share 15% and expected goal share 9%, both top 15 marks in the league. He has also steadily improved on his shot attempts per 60 each season since he broke into the league. He will have a long career, and is primed for a breakout as soon as he gets more icetime and opportunity.
12. Dougie Hamilton, NJD: The disappointing season and healthy scratches in Jersey have not impacted Dougie Hamilton’s game. He ranks 4th in the league with 11 unblocked shot attempts per 60, and plays a crucial role in moving the puck out of New Jersey’s defensive zone. He’d be a wise get for a GM this season, as his acquisition cost will likely be low. One call out is that a lot of his offensive production depends on the power play, where he has been historically excellent.
11. J.J. Moser, TBL: He reminds me of Niklas Hjalmersson with the Blackhawks. Top level goalshare contributions at 5v5, moderate levels of production (all at evens), plays difficult minutes and is a strong penalty killer. Absolute pillar on a strong cup contender. Fantastic player, and $7M through 2033-34.
10. Noah Dobson, MTL: If Schaefer hadn’t broken out this season, the Islanders would be hugely regretting the Dobson trade. He’s delivered across the board for Montreal, especially considering that Hutson gets the bulk of the PP time. Paired with Matheson, he takes on some of the most difficult minutes in the league, and is winning them and putting up numbers while doing so.
9. Seth Jones, FLA: It’s incredible what a change in scenery can do. Thought of as a cast-off from Chicago, Seth Jones has reinvented himself in Florida. Easily their best dman this season, leading them in points and TOI. Florida is awful with him off the ice, only scoring 45% of goals at even strength. He’s also performed quite well on both the PP and the PK.
8. Brandt Clarke, LAK: Though still playing in easier minutes, Brandt Clarke has taken a step in all facets of the game this year. Opposing teams aren’t scoring against him at all. LA has a 14% swing in 5v5 goal share when he’s on the ice and he’s scoring 3.93 points/60 on the powerplay (80th percentile among dmen). For such a low scoring team, he’s also producing very well at even strength.
7. Shea Theodore, VGK: We don’t speak enough about his dominance when he is healthy. An all-around star defenseman. His offensive production has dipped mainly due to less PP time, but he’s more than making up for it on the defensive side of the puck. He’s playing top competition 40% of the time, and holding opposition to 1.89 5v5 goals per 60 minutes. Those are 1990s New Jersey Devils numbers.
6. Zach Werenski, CBJ: Norris favourite this year and for good reason. 26 minutes a night, 2nd in points for a defenseman, and always lining up against the other team’s best. He does allow a fair share of dangerous chances against, but he’s easily outscoring those at a clip of 56%.
5. Josh Morrissey, WPG: The brightest spot in an otherwise dark season for Winnipeg. He’s inside the top 10 in goal share and expected goal share swing. He achieves this through playing an elite two-way game, simultaneously suppressing chances and moving the puck in the right direction. Well deserved Team Canada selection.
4. Darren Raddysh, TBL: He’s always had the offensive tools, but this year he’s completely locked in defensively too. He generates points at the second most efficient clip amongst defensemen (1.53 at 5v5, 5.97 on the PP). Despite not throwing the puck on net nearly as much as some of his peers, his shot is deadly as he leads the league with 17 goals. What a coming out party, I wonder what his next contract will look like.
3. Moritz Seider, DET: The bloom seemed to be off the rose after his Calder trophy, but he’s really come on in the past two seasons. He’s incredibly skilled and commands the ice. Detroit is a completely different team when he steps on the ice (57% goals with vs 39% without). He is simultaneously on pace to set a career high in points and play the best defensive hockey he ever has.
2. Jake Sanderson, OTT: Consistent excellence. Top 25 in point production, difficulty of minutes, and high danger shot suppression. He scores goals, plays 25 minutes a night and is only 23 years old. If Ottawa had better goaltending this season, he would be in the Norris conversation. Will play a big role for Team USA at the Olympics, and I believe he’s officially entered the upper echelon of dmen in the league.
1. Adam Fox, NYR: This feels cheap as he’s only played in 30 games this season, but his impact on the game is undeniable. The Rangers play like the Avalanche when he’s on the ice, and become the Vancouver Canucks when he’s off. He’s a powerplay dynamo and one of the best players in the world at 5v5. He’s done this consistently since the 2021-22 season, and I cannot believe he was left off the Olympic squad. If the Rangers end up having a fire sale, I would trade almost anything to get him.
Rankings this deep are bound to spark debate, especially when icons like Cale Makar find themselves lower than expected while players like Jordan Spence or Darren Raddysh climb the ranks. Ultimately, this list highlights that value isn't just found in highlight-reel goals and media coverage, but in the measurable performance of chance suppression and quality-of-competition. Who did I rank too high, and who is your biggest snub for 2026?
