NHL’s Top 10 Defencemen for 2026-27: Preseason Update

The NHL has plenty of talented defensemen across the league, maybe more than ever, but there is always a debate about who falls into the top 10 when it comes to rankings.

When making a top 10 list, there are always plenty of factors when it comes to who makes it onto the list, but looking at both offensive and defensive capabilities, here are the top 10 defensemen in the NHL for 2026-27.

10. Adam Fox

The New York Rangers are in a pretty rough position, but that shouldn’t stain the talents that Adam Fox has. Being left off the United States’ Olympic team was a big hit to his stock, though he has still shown many times that he belongs on this list.

He is still one of the best offensive defensemen in the NHL, with his lowest total over the past five seasons being the 53 he posted last season, and that was a major outlier. On top of the offense, he is still a strong defender. There is a lot of doom and gloom around the Rangers, but Fox really has been a bright spot.

9. Moritz Seider

Moritz Seider has entered himself into the Norris Trophy conversation, and likely isn’t going away any time soon. After a well-deserved fifth-place finish in Norris voting last season, Seider is going to look to carry the Detroit Red Wings from the back end.

Other THW Positional Rankings:

• Goalies
• Right Wingers
• Centers
• Left Wingers
• Coaches

Seider has great defensive tools. He is great at killing a play, has strong gap control, and uses his big 6-foot-4 frame to win puck battles. Playing over 25 minutes per night is a big task, but Seider’s breakout season was last year, and now he is going to continue improving.

8. Miro Heiskanen

Miro Heiskanen has bounced up and down this list, but has been a regular in the top 10. The Dallas Stars are an unbelievable team and are looking to take home the Stanley Cup with their current core. Heiskanen is a big part of that group, and he brings a fantastic mix of both offense and defense.

Nobody would be shocked to see Heiskanen post a 90-point season on top of elite defensive play, but he is usually good for 60-70 points in a full season.

7. Matthew Schaefer

After dominating the league as a rookie, Matthew Schaefer certainly belongs in the top 10 list of defensemen. What he has able to do as a teenager was remarkable, but even putting his age and rookie status aside, he was objectively one of the best defensemen in the league.

He scored a very impressive 23 goals and posted 59 points, which helped lead him to the Calder Trophy, and he even finished with Norris and Hart Trophy votes.

6. Jake Sanderson

Jake Sanderson has a ton of great skills. His stick-checking is excellent, his read on defensive plays is strong, and his offensive play has been improving year after year. On top of all of that, Sanderson has some of the best skating in the NHL.

While he may never challenge the 90-point mark, which is a truly elite category of offensive defensemen, he will push for 70 points this season, and likely many more moving forward. The fact that his ability to score 70 points, with offense being secondary to his defensive play, is truly special. He certainly has a Norris Trophy in his future.

5. Lane Hutson

After emerging as one of the top offensive defensemen in the NHL as a rookie, Lane Hutson has done a great job of rounding out his game. He added a great level to his defensive play, and with that, his overall play has been getting much more recognition.

Even after acquiring Noah Dobson, Hutson is playing more minutes than anybody else with the Montreal Canadiens, except for Mike Matheson, who gets time on the penalty kill. Hutson is obviously thriving offensively, scoring just shy of a point per game last season, and he could still take another step, pushing the 100-point mark.

4. Rasmus Dahlin

The Buffalo Sabres have finally taken a huge step, and Rasmus Dahlin has been a huge part of that, as he has emerged as the elite number-one defenseman that was expected when he was drafted. He has cemented himself as a staple in the Norris Trophy conversation by taking charge of his role.

Whether you want to look at goals, assists, points, advanced stats, whatever it is, Dahlin impresses with his numbers in nearly every category. His skating, whether he has the puck or is playing defensively, is one of the highlights of his game, and all around, there are not many who play as he does.

3. Zach Werenski

Arguably the biggest breakout star of the 2024-25 season and the 2026 Norris winner, Zach Werenski was a huge part of the push for the playoffs the Columbus Blue Jackets were on. He has back-to-back seventh-place Hart finishes, too.

Werenski is hoping to lead the Blue Jackets on an inspiring push for a playoff spot, expected to be scoring at an impressive pace, and, again, should be in the running for the Hart Trophy and Norris Trophy.

2. Quinn Hughes

Since joining the Minnesota Wild, Quinn Hughes has been playing some of the best hockey of his career. Considering he was already at number two on this list, and he took a bigger step, the gap between him and Cale Makar is closing.

Through his first season with the Wild, Hughes has already set multiple franchise records for defensemen. While they don’t have a storied history of elite defensemen, especially with an offensive mindset, he has still performed very well. He turned the Wild into a true Stanley Cup contender.

1. Cale Makar

Cale Makar has done everything that has ever been asked of him and more. While this list is about the top defensemen for this season, winning a Hobey Baker, Conn Smythe, Calder Trophy, two Norris Trophies, and a Stanley Cup, all before turning 27, he is certainly the one to top this list.

Makar is what makes the Colorado Avalanche a perennial contender, and whether it be in the regular season, playoffs, 4 Nations Face-Off, or as he did in the Olympics, or any other hockey, odds are, Makar is the best player on the ice. There aren’t many players above him, though he is neck-and-neck with teammate Nathan MacKinnon in the race for the top players in the league.